


Right where you were

by Nanou



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Protective Siblings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:09:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 50,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27623201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nanou/pseuds/Nanou
Summary: After a catastrophic first comeback in 2019, the Hargreeves siblings managed a successful second comeback. But only six of the seven siblings make it home. Their number Five was missing.Two years later, Klaus meets someone. Someone who will be as familiar as a stranger.
Comments: 67
Kudos: 229





	1. Chapter 1

Open the smartphone application

Select the " _Hargreeves Family_ " group chat

_Klaus is writing…_

**Klaus**

“HAPPY BACK HOME BIRTHDAY, DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS!”

_Vanya is writing…_

**Vanya**

It has also been officially 2 years since he disappeared…

Klaus looks at the message for a few seconds before putting his phone back in his pocket and turning his head towards the bus window. Two years now. Two years they were all, or almost all, back from a long, extremely long, far too long, journey through time.

**April 2, 2019 - Take 2**

The return had been chaotic.

After their first comeback in 2019, their time had been divided between: Taking care of the Sparrow Academy, convincing Ben that they were the good guys in the story and figuring out how to get back in the right timeline. An absolute chaos. But they had arrived, or rather, Five had arrived. After much research and insults to them, the little demon in shorts had again managed to find a solution.

Carrying a broken but repaired briefcase and with their brother Ben and his fresh memories found at their side, the Hargreeves had managed to outrun the Sparrow Academy that was chasing them.

Then everything happened very fast.

Five squatted to adjust the briefcase as best they could, they positioned themselves around him by taking each other by the hand, Five rose up and took a few steps back, Vanya and Diego who were on either side of their brother put one hand on each of his shoulders. Sounds of footsteps were heard in the distance, many steps accelerated. Sparrow Academy was closing in. Klaus raised his head and his eyes landed on his older young brother. Exhaustion could be seen on his face, he was pale, he had wide rings under his eyes, his hair stuck to his sweaty forehead, his clothes were wrinkled and covered with blood. He was in bad shape, but it was all going to end soon. The other Academy then appeared behind Allison. Klaus had only a few thousandths of a second to cross Five’s gaze before they all disappeared into a flash of light.

The landing was painful and disparate. They had all landed in different places. Klaus and Allison had been the lucky ones landing for one in the entrance and the other in the Academy’s garden. They only had a few minutes to debate the question: _Should we go and get their siblings or should we wait for them here?_ Before the door opens by itself. Vanya was the first to arrive, having touched down in the middle of a park not far from the house. And then Ben, who was found in the middle of a street filled with people who looked at him with disbelief. He had run into Diego on the way out of a neighborhood convenience store where he was literally spat between the frozen section and dog food. Then it was Luther’s turn, for whom sneaking out of the women’s locker room of the municipal swimming pool had been even more difficult than to fight against armed guys. Only one family member was missing and the wait began. They waited and waited and waited. They waited hours and days, and to this day they waited for his return.

Klaus pressed the exit button on the bus before turning back to the window again.

Of course they had looked for him. Five was the kind to disappear and not reappear for a while but he wouldn’t have left them without news just after they returned home. The day after their return, they went in search of him. Maybe he was hurt and couldn’t move, maybe he got too far, without energy and he couldn’t teleport to the house or maybe that poor boy was once again caught up in an apocalyptic world that they would not hear about until 17 years from now when their brother returns. Either way, we had to find him. They inquired at all the police stations, all the hospitals without arousing suspicion thanks to Allison, they roamed all the streets, alleys, bridges and parks. Diego tried to get in touch with the Commission or Herb, but it was impossible. They spent months there before the fatigue was really felt. Frustration and anger grew over the days and it began to divide them. It was Ben who found the right words to bring them together again.

_“I doubt Five would like to know that he went through hell to bring us together and in the end, we are only foolishly tearing each other apart_ ”  
  
Ben murmured after another family argument over a lead that led them to a dead end.  
  


It was true. Five wouldn’t like it at all. He had done all this for them, but they only understood it too late. They had to get back on their feet, start living, not surviving. They had to move on. Diego was the most reticent, having the impression of abandoning Five. It wasn’t that they would stop looking for him, ever, the idea was not to ruin what Five had worked for all his life. They continued to watch for the slightest hint, the slightest variation of time or the little details that might lead them to Five but they also tried to become the best version of themselves for their brother.  
They had started by tidying up and cleaning up the Academy to make it a real home, their home. Luther had found work as a landscaper. After so many years locked up to please their father, working in the open air and for himself was doing the most good and it was not those coworkers who were going to complain about having such a strong guy on the team. Ben had decided to go to medical school. Being certainly the second most intelligent Hargreeves, he had no trouble passing the entrance examinations. Vanya had take back her role as a violinist but it was also invested in a music center for children with autism or other disabilities. During her trip in the 1960s’ and her meeting with Harlan, she realized that she could make herself useful with her music, so she decided to continue on her way. Allison and Diego were the ones who had least changed their lifestyle. Allison, still an actress, was thrown body and soul into the legal battle for her daughter and had managed to obtain joint custody. She came back to the Academy as often as possible. Diego continued these night patrols while now giving self-defense classes in Al’s boxing room where he still lived.

The bus stops, Klaus takes his bag and leaves. He advances a few meters to stop in front of the pedestrian crossing that leads to the park. He’s waiting for the light to go green.

Klaus was probably the one who had changed the most. His flamboyant personality had remained the same but his life had taken on a semblance of normality and it was not so unpleasant. 1 and a half years of sobriety, baby! No more alcohol or drugs would make their way into his body. The cigarette was his only vice. He had also managed to better control his power thanks to the help of Diego and Ben ( and sometimes Luther ) who had decided to train Vanya and him. It was not yet perfect but he was now able to block the spirits when he needed them most and summon them when he wanted. That is to say, never, or the times when waking up in panic he tried to summon his brother’s spirit to ensure that he was not dead. Fortunately, he was never able to do that. He had also found a small job for a few months in a trendy thrift store on the other side of town. The perfect job. Tortured and disturbed souls in the living as well as the dead, not required proper dress and discounts on already lowered and branded clothes. The dream. In fact, today was one of his days off and he was going to take advantage of it.

The light goes green and Klaus crosses the street. He wasn’t going to lie, he wasn’t used to this kind of “relaxing” or boring activity, if you ask him. These days off he tended to spend them in his underwear, watching TV, eating chips and cakes, but Vanya thought he might have to try more «healthy» activities.All right, all right, all right, little sister. He has promised to try new things, new GOOD things for him so he was going to do it. So, here it is, heading for this redeveloped park that everyone is talking about. A park that, according to the poster at the entrance, is a « _Exceptional place of life and sharing where the cohabitation of living beings is harmonious»_. He was pretty sure that when he got in there he’d turn into a Disney princess. After all, why not. He would love to wear a magic glitter dress.

The program of the day was: a walk in the park, music to the ears and a magazine for reading. After a few minutes, he had to admit, it wasn’t that bad. The space was huge with grass to lay on, benches to sit on and a small artificial lake in the middle. There were all kinds of people. Of those who were walking their dogs, joggers, people too busy on the phone, he even thinks he saw a couple hiding behind a bush. He continued his walk, stopping from time to time against the barrier of the lake to observe the fishes swimming there or to observe the people and the ghosts who followed them. He ended up sitting on a bench where he sat for a long time reading his magazine and listening to music while smoking casually. The weather was cool and it started to get cold. It was time to go home. Klaus took his things, got up and started walking towards his bus which was on the other side of the park. He didn’t really pay attention to the people who passed by. An elderly woman, maybe two or three middle school girls, a woman and this young man…

_Hey…_

He continued to walk, removing the headphones, and lit his next cigarette

_Wait…_

He had to hurry, his bus would pass in 10 minutes.

_Wait!_

Allison was coming home tonight, it was their date, so....

**STOP!**

Klaus stopped short. His eyes widened, dropped his cigarette and then turned so quickly that his neck snapped under the action. This young man. It was impossible. But his spirit was screaming to follow him. His body moved before he even knew it. He saw only his back in the distance, his hands in the pockets of his black jacket, his grey jeans, his dark hair but especially this gait. This characteristic gait. It was impossible. He had to be sure, he had to get to him. He was getting very close to him. He had to keep his eye on him. His pulse accelerated, breathing stuck in his throat by anticipation, he nearly stumbled. What if that’s possible?

"Five?" called Klaus timidly. The young man continued to advance. Headphones on the ears.

"Five!" called Klaus more strongly. He was no longer far from him but a group of cyclists cut him off at the time. Klaus tried to pass through without losing sight of the boy.

“But for God’s sake, be careful!” Shouted one of the cyclists

“Shut the fuck up! Can’t you see I’m on a mission here?" Klaus replied by turning his attention to the man on the bike. Bad idea. When he turned his head again towards the young man, he had disappeared. Klaus stopped again and turned his head in all directions. Analyzing each and every face.

“Oh no. No! Shit! SHIT! What a jerk!" He continued to pivot his body in every direction, looking for that boy. There! A few meters away, he was going to turn left. Klaus wasn’t walking, he was running. He had to keep his eye on him.

"FIVE?" Klaus called him strongly this time, fear in his voice. Afraid of what was coming. He was almost there. He could almost touch him. And then he succeeds. He grabbed his arm and turned it sharply.

…

What if that’s possible?

…

The scene is frozen. His eyes taped to this face too familiar but so foreign at the same time.

Her hair was longer and slightly wavy. They fell on both sides of his face. That same face that wore childhood curves not so long ago, it was refined. He had grown up but not yet enough to hope to surpass Klaus and those eyes… His eyes of an unmistakable green that once radiated with a sad ferocity now looked at him with stupor, distrust, anger and even a little fear?

“F-Five?” Klaus had a tight throat, a shy smile, his gaze still nailed to his brother’s face.

“Who the hell are you?”

And everything around Klaus collapsed in an instant.


	2. Chapter 2

"Who the fuck are you?!" 

  
At these words, the world shook around Klaus. The sounds were muffled and his whole body froze. His eyes still fixed on the boy in front of him. He didn't understand. Who was he? He hadn't expected this question. In fact, he doesn't know what he was expecting but certainly not that. This grip subconsciously tightened on his brother's biceps. His clone? His twins? His doppelgänger? That'll explain why he didn't seem to recognize him. All his brain could register at the moment was that his brother was there, flesh and blood, alive, physically there. He felt his warmth under his fingers, tangible and real.

“Five… It's me. Klaus "

The incomprehension that read on the face of the boy. No, he didn't know who he was. A couple passed, they were looking at them then the man stopped.

"Excuse me, are you all right?" He said, his gaze zigzagging between Klaus and doppelgänger Five. A boy barely emerged from childhood, struggling, held tight by the arm by a weird older man. It’s true that there was something to ask questions. He felt Five pull his arm free, but the grip was strong. He knew he had to let go but it was too hard. How to let go of the person you've been looking for for 2 years now? He just had to let him go? Without having any answer? What if something is missing? What if he didn't see him again? What if it really was Five? What if it wasn't…?  
Klaus reluctantly let go of his arm. Dopple-Five quickly brought his arm back to him, gently massaging his bicep with his other hand, his gaze still fixed on Klaus.

Klaus took a step back, raising both hands in surrender, a nervous smile on his face.

“ Oops! I… huh… Sorry! Sorry, you look like someone I know. Yeah, somebody else and I… It's all the clean air in this park, I'm not used to it anymore. It makes me hallucinate! Sorry.” Klaus ended with a nervous little laugh. His hands came back down her body. Five was looking him up and down, eyebrows furrowed, a questioning look on his face.

" Mnh " was his only answer. There was a moment of silence, hesitation and unease before he turned to leave along with the couple beside them. He heard the man ask gently

" It's okay? Do you want us to stay with you for a bit? "

Five turned briefly and glanced at him one last time. 

“ No, it's okay "

Klaus was there. Arms dangling, alone in the middle of the way, watching his possibly missing little brother leave before his eyes, helpless.

Well shit. The "relaxing" walks were over for him.

  
He shut the front door heavily behind him. With his back resting against the door, he huffed.  
Okay! Klaus stood up and shook his head. What had just happened today? Let's recap. It was up at noon after a hot dream with Leonardo Dicaprio, ate a bowl of cereal, got ready then he went out around 2 p.m. to take the bus, he arrived at the park, he walked around and he ended up meeting this boy who looked like two peas in a pod to his brother who has been missing for two years. It had been a hell of a day. Klaus started to walk towards this bedroom, not noticing his siblings in the living room. It was Allison who pulled him out of his thoughts.

“ Klaus! "

Klaus turned his head in surprise before smiling broadly.

“ Ali! My sister star! So? Did you finally manage to steal a pair of Nicki Minaj's heels for me? "

Allison chuckled softly " Hello to you too Klaus" 

Luther, Diego and Vanya were also in the room, seated on the sofas and seats in the room. Ben probably hadn't come back from the unersity yet. Vanya was next to speak.

" I thought you weren't working today? I was expecting to see you on the couch watching TLC or whatever ”

" Even if the idea of staying on the sofa was terribly tempting, you have know Vany darling that today I followed one of your advice "

Vanya frowned « Advice? What advice? "

“That of healthier activities. So today Klaus went for a walk in the park to commune with nature and the wild celebrity gossip ”

Diego questioned half amused, half incredulous "You at the park? "

Luther also was surprised "And you only walked?" 

Klaus replied by stepping back towards the exit, his tone falsely outraged " YES me at the park and YES I only walked. I breathed, I listened to music, I looked at the fish and openly criticized some clothing choices and saw a lot of other interesting things!" At these last words Klaus had already reached the exit of the living room and disappeared behind the wall. He had time to hear Luther ask.

" What like interesting things? "

Klaus stepped back a bit and only made his head appear behind the wall.

" Things like people getting laid behind a bush " Klaus said before disappearing behind the wall with a big smile anticipating his brother's reaction.  
  
Luther spat out his drink "WHAT?! A Bush? In the middle of the afternoon? "

“ People do worse in the middle of the afternoon” Diego said with a mocking smile.

“ Yeah but a bush! I work in these bushes! » Luther exclaimed, imagining himself stumbling upon this awkward scene during his working hours. So embarrassing.

Klaus went back up to his room and went into the bathroom to get ready. Tonight they were going out to celebrate. Weeks before their first return anniversary, he had proposed that they make this date an important date in the Hargreeves calendar. At first, the others had been resentful. Admittedly, it was a complicated day but they fight for this date! It was on this date that they had officially prevented two apocalypses, that they had returned to start living again and that they had officially recovered Ben from the dead but it was also on this date that they had lost another brother. We win one, we lose one, is that the game? It might seem ironic to celebrate this date, but in the end, it also represented the completion of so many years of effort made by Five. So they decided to do something positive with it or at least to try.

Klaus came down the stairs 2 hours later in one of his nicest outfits. Ben had come back in the meantime and they were all waiting in the living room. Let the party begin! They started with a meal in a new, very popular little restaurant and ended with a few drinks in a lively bar in town. The atmosphere had been relaxed, warm and a little bitter. The siblings had rarely spent such moments together. Naive, carefree moments where there was only the present that mattered but despite the cheerful atmosphere of the evening, you could see the dark veil in their eyes.

When it was time to go home, Diego sat down on the driver's side of the big car they had rented for the evening. Ben was seated on the passenger side. Klaus and Allison in the back with Vanya in the middle and finally Luther in the back seats. The return was done in silence. The smiles had given way to vague looks and tired memories. It had been a saddly good evening. Then Vanya broke the silence.

" I hope he is well ..." 

No need to pronounce his name. They all knew who she was talking about.

“ I'm sure he's fine. He's a tough guy ” Ben replied, looking at his hands.  
  
Another moment of silence followed. 

" Can you imagine if the waitress offered him a children's menu at the restaurant?" Klaus, always there to relax the atmosphere.

Allison smiles " Today he would look like a teenager Klaus " 

“ Yeah, but even! Can you just imagine the scene? » Klaus said, turning to his siblings. Diego let out a small laugh.

“ Dude! He would have burned this place ”

Vanya added with a big smile "This poor waitress" 

At this point, everyone was laughing lightly. Ben exclaimed.

"The worst part is that he couldn't even have come for drinks with us! He would have been so pissed off ”

Luther added, trying to imitate Five's voice, " I'm not a kid anymore! I'm older than all of you put together bunch of assholes! "

They all laughed heartily. The laughter gradually faded, Klaus took his sister's hand.

"We're going to find him V '. Faster than you think ”

Vanya squeezed his hand. A small sad smile on his face.

" I hope Klaus " 

When they got home, Luther went up to bed. He had to get up early the next day. The others settled in the living room for a nightcap and a little more chat.

" And as we could not do otherwise, the producers ended up cutting this scene" finished telling Allison. 

“ It's too complicated to be an actor. I have done well to let it go ” Klaus replied, taking the last puff of his cigarette before crushing it in the ashtray.

" Because you wanted to be an actor?" Ben asked half surprised.

“ No, but if I had wanted to and if I had succeeded, I would have stolen all the roles from Ali. I'm sexier in a dress ”

Ali rolled his eyes before speaking " I go up to bed. It's been a long day. Good night kids! "

She got up to leave at the same time as Diego.

“ I'm going to go too, I still have things to do. Vanya, can I bring you back? "

“ No, don't bother. I can take a taxi "

" If it bothered me, I wouldn't have offered"

“ Alright, so I accept! Good night guys."

And the two left the house, leaving Klaus and Ben in the living room. Ben was quietly tapping his phone, he didn't seem to want to go to bed and frankly neither did Klaus. His meeting with Five earlier in the afternoon was still spinning in his head. He decided not to talk about it right away to his siblings because in the past Klaus had been the type to «cry wolf» in addition to his problems of alcohol, drugs and kleptomania and today his family sometimes had trouble trusting him. So before talking about it, he wanted to be sure what to say. So far there were only unanswered questions. This boy looked way too much like Five. He couldn't be the wrong person, but he didn't seem to recognize Klaus. He also didn't try to find out like Vanya in the '60s who was desperate for answers. A theory was circling in his head. The problem was, he wasn't the right person to come to logical and rational conclusions. Fortunately, his brother was there to help him.

" Benny? "

" Myeah? " Ben replied without looking away from his phone.

" Do you think there might be another _us_ on the planet somewhere right now? "

Ben stopped what he was doing and looked up at his brother.  
  
" What do you mean? "

Klaus sat up in his seat " I mean, do you think it would be possible that with all the shuffling of time and space that we've caused, there's another version of us in this moment on the planet? A bit like Baby Five and Grandpa Five in his 60's ”

Ben put his phone down on the couch and sat up too, intrigued. He frowned slightly before asking.

" Why are you asking that Klaus? "

Klaus had to quickly find a story to tell " Well you see, um ... There was this girl I knew. A real junkie. Once she was completely drunk, she tried to climb a tree and then… ” Klaus started to recount a funny old memory of a real friend from a night out but stopped when he saw his brother's bored gaze.

" Yeah yeah! Stay focused Klaus. So this girl and I became friends and overnight she died. Overdose. Whatever. The other day when I went out, I'm sure, I ran into her. Like… it was her but not her. You know what I mean? "

" Not at all " 

“ I'm sure I recognized her. It was the same face, the same walk, the same eyes, everything! But she looked different. She was dressed very formal like those big business girls and I can tell you she wasn't like that before. I pass next to her, to see if she recognized me but nothing! She looked me straight in the eye and just walked on ”

"Maybe it wasn't her?" 

"If it wasn't her then it was her clone"

"A sister who looks like her?" 

"No, only child" 

" A zombie? "

“ Don't tell me this time it's a zombie apocalypse. I'm not ready" Ben smiled and Klaus continued " This girl was my friend and I knew her well enough not to confuse her on the street." With all this time travel thing and all this shit we've been doing, I have come to wonder if it was possible that it was her but some other version of her? We saw that some details have changed around us like the house at the end of the street which is blue instead of yellow as it always has been ”

" Or the neighbors next door who no longer have a cat but a dog" 

“But Five kept repeating that things shouldn't be changed otherwise the future might change. Wasn't this “Commission” supposed to avoid these changes over time? "

“Yes, but I guess these changes are too small details for the Commission to intervene. We understood that time and these events may not occur twice in the same way. This means that over time people do not necessarily make the same decisions or that unforeseen external factors can lead to the unfolding of an event. The commission only fixes the issues that lead to a significant change in history. Maybe the changes we've seen don't change the history of the world in any way, so the commission just lets them be what they are "

" But how would my friend come back to life? "

“ I don't think she resurrected. I guess you're right when you say that we “shuffled” time and I guess it was inevitable that in doing so we changed some things. We opened the door to new "possibilities" such as the color of this house for example.

" So another version of us is possible ..."

" Yes and no. Me for example. I'm Ben but I'm from another timeline. In this one, Ben is still dead. So technically I’m a different version of Ben who now lives in this timeline but I’m still Ben with all my memories. I am here, this body is here only because I came from another timeline ”

Klaus looked completely lost. With his mouth open, he was staring at Ben who continued.

“ What I mean is when we stopped the apocalypse, it was like we reset a video game. The settings, the characters and the goals remain the same but sometimes the characters can make different decisions as long as it doesn't jeopardize the end goal. But in all of this there is only one variable that has not changed "

" Which one? "

" Death " 

That word was heavy and it threw a slight chill before Ben continued 

“As far as I know no dead person has come back to life. Dad, Pogo or whoever and I don't think your friend is an exception. So, the girl you met can either be another girl who really looks a lot like her, or the real one who in fact is not dead and at that moment she severely lied to you "

" So it's impossible that this is another version of her?" 

" Yes and no again? Maybe we unwittingly created some meaningful changes that brought some people back to life. Maybe we're still not on the right timeline and here a few dead people are still alive and have different lives or maybe it's none of that. Honestly, I don't know. It was Five the expert of the time and if we learned one thing with him it’s that everything is possible and impossible at the same time. He's an anomaly in the history of time on his own after all " Ben got up from the sofa and added "You know, what makes the most sense to me in this story is that you just got the wrong person, but we also know that logic rarely applies to our family "

" Tell me about it my old ghost brother " Klaus also got up from the sofa. 

They both headed for the stairs, it was time to go to bed. This discussion had been exhausting, but Ben still had something to add. "Anyway, that friend seemed to be very important to you to make you puzzle so much. How come I only hear you talk about her now when I've been with you constantly for 17 years? "

“Ah my dear Benny-boy, you don't know everything about your wonderful brother. Do you want to know how I met her? So, it all started because of this Lucha Libre ring and this beekeeper. I was… ”

" OKAY! Good night Klaus! » And Ben closed his bedroom door behind him leaving Klaus to speak to himself in the hallway.

Klaus didn't quite understand what was going on with this encounter in the park and he wasn't sure if he understood any better after this discussion but one thing was certain, he needed more answers. If this boy was their Five, he had to find a way to get him home. If he wasn't… he didn't want to think about that just yet.

Already a few days that he was playing James Bond hiding behind trees and bushes without pointing out. His spent his few free days following FiveNotFive. He wanted to approach him, talk to him, but he didn't know exactly how. He had started by coming back to the park at the same time and place as the first time. He had been lucky. Apparently, this was the boy's daily routine. He had an easy routine to remember. He arrived in the park around 4:30 pm, he walked around a bit and he disappeared in one of the left exits. He still wore the same faded black pea coat and an old beige backpack on his back with headphones on his ears. Today, however, things were different. No trace of Five. Klaus looked for him in the park, but nothing. He stopped near a bench located not far from one of the exits on the left side. The bench was a bit hidden from view, perfect for spying. He was standing in front of the bench looking the park in search of his target and he did not hear the other person come behind him.

" You know .. " 

Klaus jumped with a little cry, then turned around. Five.

"... if you are going to follow someone for the purpose of kidnapping or killing them, I don't think wearing a sky blue fur coat is the best option to go unnoticed" 

Klaus didn't know what to say. His brother was there in front of him and he didn't know what to say. The only thing that came out was..

" It's Mayan blue " 

"... and this is important? "

" ...no " 

A tense silence followed. Then five spoke again.

" So? Why are you following me? "  
  
" I don’t follow you " 

" Oh really? Very well. Goodbye then "Five exclaimed before turning to leave. Klaus reacts at this moment. His body throwing itself slightly forward to hold it back.

" No! Wait! ”

Five stopped and turned to him 

"What? "

“Ok, yeah. I- I followed you a little bit ”

" And why? "

Klaus hesitated a moment "You really don't know who I am? "

" No! I have already said that. I should? "

" Yes! Well no, I mean ... I wanted to apologize for- for the other day ”

"You already did that" 

"I know, it's just that- that the other day when I saw you I… and your eyes are… huh I wanted to ask you if…" 

Five raised an eyebrow at the sky "Are you trying to hit on me? "  
  
Klaus widened his eyes, his hands rising in front of him, his arms pressed to his body, he pulled back a little shocked "What?! No! We're not Luther and Allison damn it! "

" Who? "

Klaus’s heart hurt. He hadn't thought of that. He hadn't thought about the fact that if his brother didn't recognize him, he most certainly didn't remember his others siblings. It was frustrating, very frustrating. He was extremely nervous and he couldn't organize his thoughts anymore. He had to calm down and breathe. Lord, what wasn't he giving for a glass of strong alcohol right now. Klaus took his head in his hands before taking a deep breath.

“ Listen. I followed you because I wanted to apologize for the other day ok? I didn't mean to scare you. It's just that you look so much like someone I know that, I don't know, I snapped ... "

Five was silent a few moments before asking 

"Has it been a while since you saw this person? "

"A long time and even longer before that" Klaus put his hands in his jacket pockets looking at the ground.

“You looked happy and sad at the same time to see me. It's contradictory. ” Five took a few steps towards Klaus.

"If you knew how much" Klaus let out a small laugh. 

There was still silence between them but this time it wasn't awkward. 

"My bench"

Klaus looked up at Five who was pointing something behind him. 

“This is my bench. This is where I come and sit down to read and there you prevent me from accessing it ”

"Oh ... go ahead" Klaus pushed to let the other boy pass. Five sits down at one end of the bench and pulls a book out of his bag. Klaus watched him for a few moments and slowly sat down on the other end. Did he have to keep talking? No, not necessarily. Was he going to keep talking? Yes, definitely.

" So? What are you reading? "

Five rested his book heavily on his lap, looking straight ahead with an exasperated look on his face. He turned his head to Klaus

" You're not going to let me read in peace are you?"

" Nope! " Klaus insisted on the P

Five put his book back in his bag, closed it and was ready to go. Klaus panicked. He had to say or do something. He couldn't let him go like this. He said quickly

“My name is Klaus! And you are? "

" Leaving "   
  
Klaus's gaze fell to his feet, wincing at the response. It wasn't going to be easy. He heard the footsteps of Five moving away but they stopped nearby. He sighed.

" Fabian " 

Klaus quickly looked up at the boy. He had his back to him. Five spun around slightly, his face neutral.

" My name. My name is Fabian ”

Then he turned to resume his way. 

Oh the irony of a name in F. Fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed. See ya. Kisses.


	3. Chapter 3

It was early in the morning and Klaus was sitting at the kitchen table. Coffee in hand and half started toast on a plate. He had to go to work today. Has it been 3 days since he met Five? Fabian? Fivian? Was this boy really his little big brother or a stranger? He had to know more about him. He had to get closer, eventually gain his trust and become his friend if possible. Damn, how was he gonna do that? He had never really had any friends and especially someone younger. Five would cut his throat if he heard him say that. There were a lot of people who gravitated around him during his life but it was never for good reasons. Drugs, parties, sex, these were the only reasons for the friendships he had known. Never anything real. The only real friendship he ever had was with Dave and he wasn't even there anymore. Luther then entered the kitchen and took an apple from the fruit basket. When he turned around, Klaus looked him straight in the eye.

« Why do people love you? »

Luther looked surprised and a little upset.

« Uh… I don't know. Because I'm cool »

« No seriously! What do you do to make them all want to be your friends and trust you? »

« Klaus it's 8am … »

« People are always a little afraid of you at first because of, you know, your size. But in the space of what? A year ? You have managed to get all the children in the neighborhood to adore you and greet you when you pass, your colleagues invite you to the barbecues and even to family celebrations. Not to mention the supermarket where the old cashier always puts an apple in your shopping bag because « _Big boys need energy » »_ Klaus finished, imitating an old woman's voice.

« I'm not doing anything in particular, I'm just myself, I'm nice, I don't know »

« I'm nice too and yet I don't have many friends »

« No, you're weird »

Klaus put a hand on his chest and blinked dramatically.

« Excuse me? »

Luther took a bite of his apple before answering

« You're awesome Klaus and people love you more than you think but your extravagant personality can put more than one off because they see it's just a defense mechanism. I'm not saying that you have to change your way to be but only that now that you are no longer afraid of the dead, you must stop being afraid of the living. Open up to others and they will open up to you. Believe me, when you do, you'll be the most requested person on Facebook »

He was right. They couldn't ask the others, Five, Fabian, to trust him if he didn't trust anyone himself. He didn't know who this person who looked like his brother was. Was it him or a stranger? No idea, but he was going to trust him and hope to gain his own. If Five were there, somewhere on the planet or in this boy's head, he would come back to them sooner or later. He was sure of it. Klaus got up to put the leftovers of his breakfast in the sink then turned to put both hands on his brother's shoulders.

« Thanks for your advices Luther and know that I'll always be there if you need any advice on how to make a girl cum » Klaus patted his shoulders and turned around. Luther choked on his apple. It was too easy.

« I don't need that… wait, didn’t you like men?"  
  


* * *

The next day, Klaus walked with a determined step towards the park. Now he knew exactly where to find Five or Fabian or whatever. The boy. He walked up the little path that led to the bench, Fivian's bench. The path came behind the bench which did not allow Fabian to see him coming. He approached slowly and leaned a little over his shoulder, he didn't seem to have noticed.

« Hey Fabi! »

Fabian jumped with a curse and turned his head towards Klaus. Klaus walked around the bench to find himself in front of Fabian.

« You again? Won't you leave me alone? »

« No thanks. You still haven't told me what you were reading » Klaus leaned over to see the title of the book in the boy's hands.

« I don't think you kno… »

Klaus threw up both hands in the sky and exclaimed dramatically, « _Time is but the space between our memories; as soon as we cease to perceive this space, time has disappeared_ »» Klaus ended his quote with a curtsy.

Fabian looked at him with wide eyes. « Have you read Henri-Frédéric Amiel’s Journal ? »

Klaus sat down next to him « Partly, yes. I am a man of culture! »

« It's not the star magazine that stuck out of your bag the first time that would say that »

« I just didn't say what type of culture I am the specialist in »

« How come you read that? »

« Let's say I had a sadistic super daddy who thought Amiel was a good bedtime story for 7 years olds kids. But the real question here is, why are YOU reading this? Shouldn't kids your age be reading Harry Potter or on their phones forgetting that books exist? »

« I'm not like the other « kids » of my age »

« No kidding. Are you reading this for school? »

« No. I'm reading this for myself »

« You torture yourself. Do we like a little pain? » Klaus said with a teasing smile on his lips.

« No, I find it ... comforting"

« Like something familiar? A memory? »

Klaus had started to dig in this mountain of questions that was this character next to him

« Maybe » Fabian replied.

« If my father had known that you could find these kinds of books in school libraries, he might have wanted to smile. Just want it, he wouldn't have done it »

« Ah! The morons in my school are too morons to know these kinds of books. They didn't even think of putting a library »

« So where are you getting your book from? »

« I don't have to tell you »

« You stole it, right? »

« No! No way! »

« Private collection? »

« Stop with your questions! »

« Come on! I’m trying to be nice! »

Fabian hesitated for a moment

« I have a deal with one of the librarians at the municipal library »

« What kind of deal? »

« You need a card to borrow the books, but I don't have one. Then the librarian lets me borrow the books anyway, but only for 2 days »

« Doesn’t leave you much time to read a book »

« I’m a fast reader »

Fabian looked at the book he was holding. Both thumbs stroking the slightly rough cover of the object. His gaze was a little darkened. A veil of sadness covered his face. Klaus wasn't sure where the boy's feeling was coming from, but there was one thing he was sure about, and that was he had to find a way to make them go away.

« How about I bring you books? »

« What? « 

« I have a huge library full of boring books gathering dust around the house. I could bring you some if you want »

« Huh… what? Why? »

« Why? So that you no longer have to read your books in 2 days »

« I don't really want to find myself reading the adventures of _My Little Pony »_

« It was my father's library and believe me, I would have loved to find a book like _My Little Pony_ but unfortunately this old man had tastes as boring as yours, I'm sure there is something for you. to please »

« I don't know, I… »

Klaus jumped up from the seat, a big smile on his face, it was the perfect excuse to keep seeing Fivian.

« Yeah! It would be a great idea! We wanted to sort them out anyway. I could bring you one every week. Of course, you won't be able to choose what to read but don't worry, I won't choose, I know someone who will know exactly what to choose » Fabian was looking at him again with wide, incredulous eyes. He didn't know what to say. His gaze fell to the ground.

« You don't have to do that »

« No, but I want to »

« Why? »

« Because I like you »

* * *

Klaus took a yellow dress between his hands and took it out of its display

« That one! Please put this one on! »

Vanya turned to her brother, her brow furrowed and a sorry look on the face « Klaus, I don't like dresses very much and yellow even less »

« Come on! A little fantasy! » Klaus put the dress back on

« It's a classical music concert. I can wear a little color but nothing too flashy »

« Pink? « 

« Grey? »

« Red! »

« Green? »

« Pistachio green then »

« Dark green »

« Go for dark green »

Now agreed on the color to look for, the two brothers continued their way between the aisles of the shop in which they were.

« Vanya? »

« Yes? » Vanya replied without looking away from a blazer that had caught her eye.

« Are you busy tomorrow? »

« I have a rehearsal in the morning and after that I have to go and get something from the association, but then I'm free. Why? »

« I need your help at the Academy. Do you think you could come by in the afternoon? »

It was rare for her family to ask for her help. She was glad to be able to help her brother but also a little worried.

« Yes, no problem. Everything alright Klaus? »

« Yeah, everything is perfectly fine! I need you to choose books from the old Regi's library »

« And what do you want to do with it? »

« I want to give some to a friend »

Vanya looked at him with a mischievous smile « A friend or a friend FRIEND? »

« Just a friend. A friend who is a little too cerebral and who likes boring old books »

« Is he one of your coworkers? »

« No, someone I met at the park »

« This outing made you feel good, it seems. I'm happy to know that you are making friends »

« Thank you mum but for now can we talk about this beautiful suit that you hold in your hand? »

The next day, Klaus and Vanya had already done a first sorting through Reginald's books when Ben joined them. Vanya and Ben were probably the ones who knew the tastes of Five the best and if Fabian was their Five who didn't remember them, he would surely appreciate what they would choose for him. No? Following this logic Klaus tried to direct the choices of his brothers according to what Five might like. After a few hours, he had a nice collection that he could gradually give to Fabian.

* * *

« Here, this is for you » Klaus handed a small paper bag to Fabian when he reached the side of the bench where he was sitting.

« Oh… I thought you were joking or at least that you were going to forget » Said Fabian taking the bag

« Usually people wait a little longer before they don't trust me anymore » Klaus looked betrayed at the book that was lying on the seat *Did you even take another book? » Klaus pointed at the book on the bench, outraged.

« I really thought it was a joke. I didn't want to be left with nothing to read »

Klaus took the book off the bench « This is shit. Look what I brought you » 

Fabian didn't seem very sure what to do but opened the bag Klaus had handed him. He took out a book with an aging cover. He read the title

« Jules Vernes, _Propeller Island »_ Fabian turned the book over, inspected it, opened it to turn a few pages before stopping on the preface « Wait. Is it an original signed edition? »

« Yes Fabi »

« But .. I… how? Klaus, it must be very rare AND expensive! »

« I don't know, it was my father’s book »

« I'm telling you! » Five put the book back in the bag and hands it back to Klaus. « I can't. I can't take it »

« Yes, you can » Klaus replied giving him the bag again.

« No! What if I damage it? »

« I don't care, it's yours. You can even burn it if you want »

« Are you giving it to me ?! »

« What did you think? That I was going to ask you to return it to me after a week? »

« …Yes? »

« Well no! Keep it. Anyway, no member of my family wants it and it makes my sister happy to know that it will go to someone who will really appreciate it »

Fabian took the book and looked at it again « Thank you »

Klaus just smiled. He watched Fabian open the first page and start reading

« Are you going to read it now? »

« Yes, that's why I'm here »

« Don't you want to read it quietly at home instead? » Fabian curled up slightly at the idea.

« It's not easy to do it at home » Fabian looked away. Klaus felt the anxiety in his words. So he tried.

« Why? »

The response was not quick but slow and hesitant.

« My father thinks it's a waste of time »

« I thought parents were more of the type to encourage reading in children and all that »

« Not mine. He says it's not that bullshit that brings money home »

« He looks like a charming daddy … »

« Just a gruff man »

« And what does your mother think about that? »

Fabian remained silent for a moment « There is no mother to think about it »

« Oh ... sorry ... siblings? »

« Do you want to know my blood type and the size of my shoes too ?! » Barked Fabian in a sudden fit of anger.

« Calm down! I was just asking. You know, small talk »

Fabian's brow furrowed but didn't say anything more, he looked nervous. An idea crossed the mind of Klaus. Some time ago, he had heard on a program that people with amnesia could find their memories thanks to mini triggers like, a sound, a smell, a sensation. Klaus was not yet sure how he should go about it, he was not an expert in the matter, He himself had problems remembering what he had eaten the day before, but he had to at least try.

« We are 7 brothers and sisters »

Fabian still doesn't say anything

« 5 boys and 2 girls. Do you know what's the funniest? What we are all the same age »

The anecdote piqued the boy's curiosity. He looked up at Klaus « How is that possible? Septuplets? »

« Nope! You see, MY lovely daddy, was a crooked old man who one day decided to found his own little army by adopting 7 children all around the planet who were born on the same day. We looked like a real advertisement for Benetton » 

« Weird »

« You say it! He thought he could do whatever he wanted with us. That we were going to be some sort of hero or something. He just made us a messed up and completely dysfunctional family »

« Haven't you kept in touch with the others? »

« At the beginning no. Then one of my brother, the one we hadn't seen for the longest time, came out of nowhere, literally fell from the sky to try to get us together again. This bastard succeeded and we have never been so close even though today we are only 6… » Klaus smiled sadly. He glanced quickly at Fabian to see his reaction.

« Is that who I look like? » Klaus was surprised at first then his gaze softened.

« Yeah, it's him. Looks like his clone. I have never been very close to him. He was an arrogant, angry, self-centered person, a real asshole… but he was also very intelligent, benevolent in his own way and extraordinarily persistent » Klaus paused and took a deep breath. He should not cry « We understood that too late that he was, without a doubt, the person who loved us the most in all this fucking universe »

« He seemed to be someone really special »

« He is… »

Klaus watched Fabian for a moment. He twisted his fingers, visibly uncomfortable and not knowing what to say. Klaus was a little disappointed. He expected Fabian to jump out of his seat screaming " _Yes, I'm that person_!" But that didn't happen. Deep down, he knew it wouldn't happen.

« I don't have any brothers and sisters. There is only my father and me »

« A small family is still a family »

« Only if it behaves as such … »

« You don't get along with yo … »

« So, Jules Vernes huh? » Fabian abruptly changed the subject and continued talking about the book in his hands. Klaus noticed the change in his attitude. There was something wrong, he didn't know what yet, but if this boy was as secret as his brother, it wasn't going to be easy.

After this meeting, Klaus continued to bring books to the boy as often as possible. His presence oddly didn't seem to bother Fivian so he took advantage of it. Fabian was still there, sitting on the same bench and at the same time. He was always there before him and left after him. He would bring him 1 book, sometimes 2 if they were small, and Fabian always thanked him with a shy smile. It was pleasant, oddly familiar. He felt like he was spending time with a brother he had never had the opportunity to know. Paradoxically, he had the feeling that he had never known his brother as well as he does now. While this same brother didn't even seem to know who he was. Despite the fact that he didn't talk much about himself, Klaus had managed to gather some additional information about him. Fabian lived alone with his father in a suburb east of the city. His school was not far from the park and that was why he was there so often. He didn't know anything about The Umbrella Academy and he didn't seem to have any power, but it wasn't something he was 100% sure of. You don't tell anyone you have powers after all. But it was the more personal details that had made a deep impression on Klaus. Like his way to always unconsciously caressed the corner of the book when he was completely absorbed in his reading. Or the fact that he seemed to hate the cold and curse softly whenever there was the slightest breeze. The fact that he likes the color gray because it was « _A color too underestimated »_ or the tenderness that he seemed to have for animals and especially for a stray cat to whom he occasionally brought something to eat. It were details. Little things you know about your siblings when you have the opportunity to grow up with them. Unfortunately for them, they had to wait 19 years before sharing these things. The saddest thing about it was that this boy next to him was unaware of all of this.

Until then, nothing seemed to indicate to Klaus that this boy was indeed his brother. The lack of reaction to his stories and his passivity had made him lose hope. The idea that Fabian was not really his brother but a whole different person began to settle in his mind. But that was until this day. The day that gave him back a hint of hope but also the day when everything began to fall apart.

When Klaus arrived on the bench, Fabian was usually there either reading the last pages of one of the books he had given him or watching people walking around the park. Today he looked worried. He was sitting upright on the bench and nervously moving one of his legs as he looked at his right hand. He opened and closed it with a pained expression on his face. He had a few wounds on his knuckles.

« Hello Fabulous Fab! »

« Stop calling me like that, it sounds like the name of a low-level magician »

« You wouldn't be very funny as a magician »

Fabian didn't answer and tried to hide his hand from Klaus' sight.

« So? What’s the matter with your hand? »

« Nothing. I fell »

« Oh no no no sir! Don't do it to me. Believe me, I know very well what a punched hand looks like »

Fabian was silent again, he was not looking at Klaus. Klaus looked for his gaze

« You want to talk about it? »

« No »

« I'm not going to judge you, you know » Klaus lit a cigarette as a second silence settled in. This time it was Fabian who broke it.

« There's this girl at school… »

Klaus energetically slammed his hands looking impatient. « I like how this story begins! »

« It's not what you think. There is this girl who is in the next class. She doesn’t get notice much, she's a discreet person. So the students often bullied her »

« School, a ruthless universe filled with hormonal hyenas. Well… I say that but I never went to school »

« Never? »

« Long story. Keep going »

Fabian resumed the course of his story « A few days ago, we discovered that this girl had won a competition, a rather important poetry competition »

« Ouch! I don't think poetry is very cool for teens »

« It’s not. Apparently this contest is a famous contest and she won it, passing hundreds of competitors. People instead of congratulating her, they laugh at her and denigrate her. Today at lunchtime things got out of hand. I was putting my things in my locker when she walked past me. There was this guy waiting for him in the corridor. This guy is the « star » of the school so no one ever tells him anything. He had somehow managed to find a copy of her poem and he began to recite it aloud, changing words, overplaying passages and making stupid comments »

« Bastard »

« Yeah. He started saying things to her like " _A love poem? You think you're going to find someone with that face_ ”“ _Do you think you're more important than the others because you won a shitty contest? »_ He just wanted to hurt her because he wouldn't be able to do what she did. He felt inferior. Usually I don’t get involved in others stories, everyone has their own problems. But there, when she tried to pass after having taken everything without saying anything and he held her back by the arm, I don't know, I snapped ”

« No way… » Klaus sat up in the bench, a small smile was starting to form on his face.

« I haven't even thought about it. My body moved on its own. One second I was next to my locker and the next second I was next to him »

« You didn't do that… » Klaus said with a big smile

« I didn't even know I could do that. I had never done that. I realized that I only hit him when he hit the ground »

« He mustn’t have understood what was happening to him » Said Klaus with a small laugh

« I don’t know »

« You don’t know? »

« I knocked him out so… »

The third silence followed.

Fabian was probably expecting everything but the reaction that followed.   
  
Klaus burst out laughing. A powerful laugh that contorted his body. He dropped his cigarette on the ground to place his arm on his stomach, his abs starting to ache. Small tears were born at the corners of his eyes.

Fabian wasn't laughing, he was just looking at him surprised. His voice showing his slight nervousness.

« What are you laughing at? »

Klaus only laughs louder « It's so good! It is too beautiful! » He said between two bursts of laughter

« Stop laughing asshole! What makes you laugh? »

Klaus' laughter slowly faded « You, little Fabian, you hit him, it came out of nowhere and you knocked him out? »

« You don’t believe me? »

« Yes! I believe you so much! »

Fabian frowned« Shouldn't you be giving me a nice adult talk about « _Violence doesn't solve problems_ »? »

« Is that what you want to hear? »

« Not sure »

« This is what someone responsible should be telling you..»

Klaus falsely raised an accusing finger at Fabian

« …You are a bad boy! Violence doesn’t solve anything. Discussion is the key! You should have let this poor girl be martyred and humiliated in the middle of a bunch of dumb teenagers while you went looking for a teacher! »

Fabian recoiled a bit from Klaus' words. Klaus continued

« And here is what I’m telling you: HE FUCKING DESERVED IT! »

Fabian raised an eyebrow « Excuse me? »

« Okay! I agree with the violence part, it's not good, so please don't do it again. But, let's be honest. The guy that you hit looks like a real pretentious, bigmouthed, abusive asshole. It’ll set him straight »

Fabian was speechless. A small smile was starting to draw on his lips.

« Are you serious? »

« Absolutely! Did you realize? You jumped into it to save a young girl in distress and straightened out that little shit with one punch? You nailed it like a boss! »

Fabian smiled at him and said almost embarrassed.

« I got it »

« Fuck yeah you did! » Klaus laughed again and to his surprise, Fabian followed. Fabian laughed, it was a shy laugh at the beginning which grew louder after a few seconds with Klaus's. Klaus wondered, if his brother's laugh would look exactly like this. They laughed for a moment before Fabian added, a half smile still plastered on his face.

« This girl, she didn't deserve this »

« Nobody deserves this »

« What she managed to do was just… is… » Fabian searched for the exact word. Klaus helped him.

« It's Extra Ordinary ? »

Fabian quickly turned his head towards Klaus. His smile disappeared in seconds and his gaze seemed to pierce Klaus, as if he was trying to see through him, into him. Klaus froze for a moment, surprised at the change. Then Fabian looked away, frozen in place. He didn't move any more. What was going on? Klaus waved a hand in front of Fabian.

« Hey! Buddy. You there? » Still no reaction

_What is that?_

« Hello? » Klaus touched Fabian's shoulder with one finger.

Fabian reacts strongly to move away from the contact, came out of his lethargy. He shook his head.

_What was that?_

« Yeah, yeah. I just had a feeling of _Déjà vu._ Weird. "

What just happened? _Déjà vu_? A _déjà vu_ like in Beyonce's song? A _déjà vu_ as in " _I have the felling of having already lived this?_ ". A _déjà vu_ that looked like a memory? Had he succeeded? Had he finally managed to trigger something in this boy's head? It was Klaus' turn to stare at Fabian.

« Don't worry »

A last silence settled between them. Klaus scrutinizing Fabian and Fabian, his gaze fixed again on his injured hand which he gently stroked with his other thumb. His head curled up inside his scarf and his last words came muffled and small.

« Dad is going to kill me… »

When he got home, Klaus was in a rather good mood. A sweet feeling in his chest. They had laughed together. Klaus had never laughed like that with Five. Nor with Fabian. But they had laughed together and damn it, it felt good. Not to mention his reaction to the mention of this word or rather the title of Vanya's book. A reaction to the reference to something from their past. From the past of Five Hargreeves. Maybe it was nothing or maybe it was all. But for now, he preferred to stay on the positive aspects of this story. So yeah, Klaus was in a good mood when he got home. He was absolutely not ready for the screams when he opened the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you soon!


	4. Chapter 4

When he opened the door the screams of his siblings came straight to his ears. An argument. A big argument was taking place in the living room. Specifically, an argument between Diego and Allison. The two were right in the middle of the living room as Ben and Luther by their side tried to calm them down.

« Guys please .. »

Diego and Allison shouted in unison « SHUT UP LUTHER! »

Luther raised his hands in surrender and took a step back. Then Diego started screaming again.

« You had only that to do Allison! How could you fucking forget? » Diego looked furious

« I've not forgotten ! How many times do I have to tell you this ? I did not arrive on time! It's different! »

« I warned you days ago! You had all the time in the world to prepare! »

« I had other things to do! » Allison was silent after those few words, realizing how it could be misinterpreted « that's not what I wanted .. »

Too late

« Others things to do? »

It was Ben's turn to intervene« Diego we know that … »

« No! No you don't know shit! You don't know how much effort I put into getting the slightest clue! Every detail, every little something that could lead us to him! And you don't know because you all gave up! You forgot it! It's easier that way, eh? It upsets your shitty little lives to take a few minutes to remind you that you have a fucking brother who is still missing! Do you want us to do like dad? Do we blame him and move on? The first time we didn't even take the time to look for him, we just waited for him to come back. You know what? We should hang up that horrible portrait he hated over the fireplace. It'll help you remember what it looks like at least. Because I remember it very well! I vividly remember his exhausted, blood-covered face the last time I saw him! I remember very well how much he wanted to come home like the rest of us. And he's not here! Damn, he's not here when we are and we can continue to live quietly while Five may be in a fucking apocalypse! »

Allison said nothing more, her eyes wet with tears that refused to fall.

« Diego, I … »

« You! You are the last person who can say something. Maybe because of you we missed the chance to finally bring Five home »

Diego stormed out of the house, jostling Klaus which had remained frozen at the entrance to the living room.

Allison sniffled softly before heading to the bedrooms.

« Allison … » Luther was about to follow her, but Ben put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. It was better to leave her alone for now.

* * *

Klaus knocked on the door of his sister's room

« Alli? »

No answer

« Al, can I come in? »

Still no answer

Klaus slowly opened the door. Her sister had her back to him, lying on her side on the bed. He entered the room with a gentle step to sit at her feet on the bed.

« Are you okay? »

Allison gave him a little sideways glance.

« Silly question » Klaus replied, scratching the back of his neck.

« What happened earlier? »

Allison sighed and stood up to sit next to Klaus.

« You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to »

« You'll find out anyway. Diego called me a few days ago. He had managed to intercept informations on a case in L.A. A boy who matched Five's profile had been found. No media announcement had yet been made as the boy appeared to be involved in a murder case so he had been placed under police protection. Diego had managed to find out which hospital he had been taken to but we had to do something quickly because he was soon to be moved to an unknown destination. I had to go take a look or rather go make some « little rumors » to sneak into the hospital and check the identity of this boy but… "

« But? »

Allison sighed again and lifted her red eyes to the ceiling before continuing.

« But these days have been complicated and it's not easy to manage everything. I'm working on a big TV show project and I have to travel all the time, we haven't settled everything yet with Patrick and Claire is having a difficult time. She started having problems at school and it's hard to talk to her. Her therapist says it's the aftermath of the divorce. In all of this, there is also the disappearance of Five and… »

« And that's a lot. »

« Yeah… I've been trying to organize myself to go to this hospital since Diego called me but time is so short. I'm not trying to make excuses for myself but this kind of mission is not something you can accomplish in 5 minutes. It takes time to be able to come in without being noticed, to avoid suspicion and quietly withdraw useful information. So when Diego called me to tell me that the boy's departure date had been advenced, I did everything I could to go but when I got there it was too late. He had already taken him elsewhere. I tried to find out where but got nothing. After that I had to organize everything to come here and I hadn’t dared to speak to Diego before today. I don't think he liked it. »

« He didn't look like it … »

« Look, you have the right to be angry too. I fucked up, I know, but I didn't because I forgot about our brother. I let myself be overwhelmed and I fucked up »

« I'm not angry. I understand you but I also understand Diego. We all try Ali. We all try to do our best and it's not easy. We're a bunch of losers trying to fuck things up as little as possible. And then you know how Diego is. He always tries to act like « El Macho de la casa » and since Five came back with his baby face I think his fatherly instinct must have woken up or something. Everything that happens affects him more than he will ever admit and he doesn’t know how to deal with his emotions »

« Do you know what's the saddest thing about this story? The more time passes, the more I want to find him. Yet the only time I could really do something, I was unable to do it. I see Claire growing up and developing her tastes, her desires, her ideas and Five, my god, I don't know anything about him. His favorite food, does he like music or just his favorite color, I don't know any of that and it makes me so sad. I am looking for a brother that I don’t know. None of us really know Five. I have only few memories of him when we were kids and the time we spent together after his return was a big mess. Do you know what I regret? It's not having hugged him when I had the opportunity at dad's funeral. »

Klaus took his sister's hand and tried to reassure her.

« Alli, we all have regrets and we all make mistakes. What we said or did, the past is the past. You can't change the past. Well, technically we know we can do it but it could screw the world up so we will avoid it. In short. All we have to do is accept who we are in the present and think about what we can do better in the future. We will find him and you can give him all the hugs you want. You might lose an arm or maybe get stabbed but it will be totally worth it ”

Klaus smiled at his sister who put on a sad smile and let her tears flow freely.

« Shit. When did you get so wise? »

« Sweet sobriety » Klaus replied patting Allison's knee.

« What if Diego was right? What if I just screwed up the only chance we had to bring him home? »

« Then we'll find out another solution. We quit two goddamn apocalypses, we should be able to bring an angry, murderous old kid home right ?! »

« I hope so »

Klaus stroked Number 3's back before getting up and heading for the door. She needed to be alone, he had felt it. Before leaving he turned to Allison.

« Hey… »

« Yeah? »

« If it's any comfort to you, I'm pretty sure his favorite color is gray »

When Klaus arrived in his room the only thing he could feel was guilt. Big and miserable guilt that tightened his throat and stabbed his heart. How had he seen nothing? How could he have forgotten? He wasn't the only one to mourn the loss of a brother. Lately, he had been so absorbed by his meeting with Fabian that he had completely forgotten that he was not the only one looking for him. All this time he had bonded, strengthened hope, and had a good time forgetting about those other siblings. He wasn't the only one missing Five, he wasn't the only one with regrets and remorse. He had made the decision not to tell his siblings about it to spare them the sadness and disappointment if it was not THEIR Five. It was selfish. They had the right to this hope and the sadness that could result from it. Is not it? He wondered if he had made the right decision.

* * *

Already 3 days he had not been able to see Fabian. Three days he wasn't sure about the decisions he had made. Several times he'd been about to tell the whole story to the rest of the Hargreeves but he'd given it up. Too scared. He had hardly slept the last few nights and today had been a particularly difficult day.

« It's OK D'. I'll take the bus » Klaus was crossing the park to catch his bus while he was talking on the phone with his brother.

_«_ _You're sure? It's late. I'm not far, I can pick you up »_

« No don’t worry. I want to walk a bit »

_«_ _Klaus refusing a ride is something new. Are you sure you're okay? »_

« Yeah I… it was just a rough day. I was late this morning, I got yelled at by my boss, I was alone for closing the shop, the lights went out just before the end of the day and I had to wait for an electrician! To top it off ... today is the anniversary of Dave's death … »

_«_ _Oh ... sorry man »_

« Have to believe that losing the person you love is a family matter »

Diego chuckled sadly.

_«_ _You gonna be fine? »_

Klaus cooed « Big brother Diego is worried about me! So cute!»

_«_ _Shut up! Just be careful, okay? »_

Klaus reassured his brother one last time before hanging up. It was true, he only needed to clear his head. The past few days hadn’t been easy.

Night had already fallen, it was cold and the park was no longer illuminated except by the lampposts that lined the paths. There were not many people anymore, only a few latecomers like Klaus and others who took their dog for the last time. The atmosphere was calm and Klaus was taking his time to cross the park. The bench he and Fabian sat on was barely visible from the park's main promenade. Hidden behind some trees and bushes, you had to know its location to spot it from where it was. Klaus glanced instinctively at the bench. He wasn't looking for anything and didn't expect to find anything there, he really didn't expect it.

« What is … »

Klaus came quickly to the bench

« Fabian? What are you doing here? »

« Klaus? What are YOU doing here? »

« Let grown-ups ask the questions » Klaus looked at the clock on his phone « It's 9:17 pm and it's freezing out there. What are you doing in the park? Shouldn't you be home? » Fabian looked nervous, not sure what to say as if he had been caught red-handed. His hand, flushed with the cold, was holding his book firmly, the other nervously scratching the back of his neck and his mouth looks to have trouble getting the right words out.

« I ... I can't go home yet … »

« You can’t ? What do you mean by « _you can’t_ » ? »

Fabian stood there sheepish and embarrassed. He obviously didn't expect to see Klaus. He began to rub one of his legs vigorously as if to reassure himself. Klaus noticed the young boy's distress. He wanted to ask his question again but he knew very well that it was not by putting pressure that he would get answers.

« Have you already eaten? »

Fabian negatively shook his head

« Me neither and I'm starving. Do you want to come eat with me? »

« I don’t have … »

Klaus cut him off « I invite! »

« I can't accept »

« Of course you can! Besides, I don't like to eat alone. Come on! Come with me »

« ... fine » Fabian stood up slowly taking his bag, hesitating.

« Excellent! There is a small dinner nearby which is open late at night. Their lemon pie is to die for! » Klaus said cheerfully in an attempt to lighten the mood.

The journey was made in silence. Once they arrived, they were greeted by a young waitress and sat down on a window table. The waitress brought the menus and left.

« So what are you going to take Cutie-Fabi? »

« Don't call me ... drop it » Fabian knew he couldn't fight Klaus' nicknames anymore.

« I think I'll have their burger. And you? »

Fabian had put the menu in front of him and was looking around

« Whatever » Klaus was going to answer that when the waitress arrived.

« So gentlemen! What can I serve you? »

Klaus looked at Fabian one last time before answering to the girl next to him  
  
« I'll take the burger with the fries and a big strawberry milkshake! And for the young man the pancake menu with scrambled eggs, bacon, tomatoes and a little peanut butter if possible! Oh! and a fruit salad » When Klaus finished he handed the menus back to the waitress. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Fabian looking at him with an open mouth.

« The menu is served with a glass of orange juice. It’s ok for you? "

« Would it be possible to switch to apple juice? My friend doesn't like it »

« Yes, No problem! I'm bringing you that »

When the waitress left, Fabian asked

« How do you know? »

« Know what? »

« The orange juice. How do you know I don't like it? »

Oops. Freudian slip. Who knows. Did he knew Fabian didn't like it? No, but he knew Five didn't like it. Funny coincidence. Sad coincidence. He remembered when they were younger. Five had never been picky with food, but if there was one thing he absolutely refused to swallow, it was the goddamn orange juice. Their mother always gave him apple juice instead of orange juice. He hadn't thought about it until now.

« Uh ... I guess you must have told me at one point or another? »

Fabian didn't look very convinced. Then he asked.

« What were you doing so late in the park? »

Klaus wanted to ask the same question but he agreed to be questioned first if that would allow him to have answers later.

« I finished my work and I was going home »

« So late? I thought you worked in a store »

« That the case. I had a pretty shitty day and ended up late » Klaus put a hand on the back of his neck which he cracked. He was tired.

« And why ? »

« A succession of events, each more wonderful than the last. Late for work, waiting for an electrician … » Klaus hesitated a moment before adding « and it’s the anniversary of my boyfriend's death. In short, everything to make your day look like a blender without a lid »

« I'm sorry ... I didn't know… »

« You couldn’t have known »

Fabian was uncomfortable. He was playing nervously with the napkin in front of him. Klaus continued to speak, he needed it.

« He was a good person you know? Unlike me. Today I only have souvenirs and a necklace »

« You are a good person Klaus »

« Thank you little one but if you knew everything I did, you might not say that »

« I don't care what you did in the past. There are people who were rotten and still are. At least you have changed. That's what's important. The rest, we don't care. It's the people who harm others and refuse to see it who are bad » Fabian finished with a bit of bitterness in his voice.

Klaus was about to speak when their food arrived.

The dinner passed quietly, they exchanged a few words without thinking too much about it. It was mostly Klaus speaking, as usual. Fabian pricked the last pieces of pancakes and fruit he had left with his fork.

« So you were hungry »

« I hadn’t eaten anything since this morning » Fabian replied nonchalantly.

« Since this morning? It's a long time without eating anything »

« I wasn’t hungry » Fabian didn’t look up from his plate.

« Really? » Klaus hovered over the empty plates with both hands who proved otherwise. Fabian said nothing, swallowing the last bits of his meal.

« Fab? »

« Mnh? »

The time had come

« What were you doing so late in the park? »

« I told you, I was rea… »

Klaus didn't let him finish and said in a firm voice « Don't bring that « _I was reading_ » bullshit to me. Please. »

Fabian was surprised at Klaus's bossy tone, he lowered his eyes before answering.

« I am not allowed to go home until my father is home »

« What? Not allowed? »

« My father doesn't like me to be home alone »

« And is it better to leave you alone at night outside? »

« I guess »

Klaus realized something. Of all the times they saw each other at the park, Klaus had never been the last to leave. He had never seen Fabian come home.

« Do you do this every day? »

Fabian looked embarrassed « Almost yes. At the beginning I waited for him in the entrance of my building but I prefer to come to the park. It's quieter. »

Klaus rubbed his face with both hands. He was tired.

« I don’t understand. Why doesn't he want you to be alone at home exactly? »

« My dad is a little overprotective. He's scared that I'll do shit like, steal money to get drunk, for drugs or whatever and something will happen to me after that. He prefers to be there with me if I'm at home ”

Either Fabian had chosen those words downright wrong, or he really thought the behavior was « protective» He didn't like it.

« But… I… Ok. Hmm. Do you have a key at least? »

« No. I know how to take care of myself. No need »

« Look, I don't doubt you're someone with a lot of resources, but isn't it a little weird that you don't even have a key? »

« I don't think you are able to judge »

« I don’t judge. I'm just a little… worried »

« Worried? And why do you please? »

« Because usually it doesn’t work like that »

« We have to believe that we don’t function like everyone else » We could hear the edge of anger in Fabian's voice and also in his gestures when he began to rummage furiously in his bag.

« I know that all families operate differently. Mine was definitely not like the others but you know there is fo… »

« Fuck! » Fabian stood up quickly holding his phone in his hands and startling Klaus. His eyes glued to the screen. A flash of fear crossed his gaze. « Fuck, fuck, FUCK! I have to go » He took his bag, his jacket and got up from the table.

Klaus, caught off guard, watched Fabian get up before heading for the door.

« W-what?… No wait » He tried to grab Fabian but was unsuccessful « Wait! Wait for me! »   
  
Before leaving Klaus walked over to the waitress to whom he threw a few bills apologetically. During this time Fabian had left the restaurant. Klaus ran out, his jacket half on and his bag still open. The boy was walking very fast on the sidewalk.

« Fabian! Hold on »

« What! » He turned around sharply

« What what? You get up suddenly and you go. At least explain to me what is going on »

Fabian ran one hand through his hair while the other firmly held the bag he had not yet placed on his shoulders.

« My dad called me I don't know how many times and my fucking phone was on silent. I should be at home now! » Fabian spoke quickly, he seemed panicked

« Ok, ok! Calm down. You'll just be a little late. Tell him your phone has run out of battery and you haven't seen the time. It's not so bad »

« No, no, you don't understand. I must be home now or else… « Fabian stopped dead. Klaus knew the rest would not come.

« If not? »

« Nothing. Otherwise nothing. II have to go. Thanks for all that and-and sorry to leave like this »

Klaus didn't like the feeling this story gave him. He didn't like that speck of fear in the boy's eyes. He certainly didn't like letting him go without doing anything. At the last moment, Klaus grabbed his hand to hold him back. With the speed and movement, Fabian's sleeve heaved. It was only a few millimeters of skin but millimeters that already said too much. Klaus could see the burns and his eyes couldn't get away from them. Fabian quickly withdrew his hand to lower his sleeve. There followed a moment of hesitation. Fabian was still holding his sleeve between his fingers. Klaus' eyes were frozen on that wrist that was hidden from the eyes of the world now. Fabian broke the silence.

« I really have to go… »

Klaus didn't want to let him go but he couldn't hold him back. He did the only thing that occurred to him.

« Just give me a second » Klaus searched his bag for a pen and the old ticket from a stall that had been lying in his bag for months. He began to write on it. When he finished, he handed it to Fabian.

« Here. This is my number and my address. Call me when you want or if you want to stop by my place one day, you just have to take bus 9 on the other side of the park »

Fabian's gaze bounces between the piece of paper and Klaus. He hesitated to take it but ended up grabbing it and putting it in his pocket. The young boy said nothing before turning around and disappearing into the dark streets.

Klaus watched his little big brother's clone walk away down the street and he stood there, not clearly knowing what to do next. He never knew exactly what to do and especially not today. GoodBye hand came to rest on his eyes. He was so tired.

* * *

He was leaning against the wall next to the door. Sweat, tears and despair scented the room.

« Very well! That's all for today. Thank you for coming, be careful when you come back home and I will see you next week »

Greetings rose in the room as some students made their way to the locker room and others to the exit. Klaus pulled away from the wall

« Mi hermano! »

Diego turned to the voice

« Klaus what are you doing here? »

« I came to build my muscles »Klaus raised both arms, pumping out his biceps.

« Are you serious? » Diego raised an eyebrow

« Yeah, totally. You know I always dreamed of becoming a bodybuilder. I said to myself: Why not start today? » Klaus said ironically

« What do you want? » Diego wasn't looking at Klaus as he tidied the room. The last of his students greeted him before leaving.

« Allison is leaving tonight »

« You too? Vanya has already come for that. Drop it »

« You should talk to her before she leaves »

« I have nothing to say to her »

« You don't really mean what you say »

« Yes totally. I said what I had to say to her, I have nothing to add »

« It's Allison, D '. You know his mouth is sometimes faster than his head and these days his head has a lot to think about » Klaus was sitting against the box ring. Diego turned to him, annoyed.

« We've been fucking looking for him for over two years now. It had been months since we had any serious leads. We missed this one because she didn't want to spend time in her super star schedule »

« Allison is doing what she can to get by, like all of us, like you. We all think of Five, we want him to come back. Nobody let him down. But you're so focused on it that you can't see what's going on around you anymore. Did you know that Ben takes all the lectures, seminars and conferences that talk about missing or near disappearances in university? Or that Vanya looks at the list of people found in the country at least ten times a day. It wouldn't surprise me that today she knows all the names by heart. Diego, we haven't given up on anything. Neither did Alli. You can't let her down without knowing her reasons »

Diego looked ashamed. He squeezed the cloth tightly in his hand.

« Maybe I should talk to her… »

« It would be good yes »

« I'll come home later »

Klaus was a little doubtful about his next question, but who better than a former policeman to answer him?

« I didn't come just for that »

« I'm listening » Diego had taken a broom that he passed energetically on the ground

« Do ... How do you recognize a beaten person? »

Diego stopped what he was doing to turn to his brother. Of all the weird questions his brother had asked in his lifetime, this was the most puzzling.

* * *

Did he see what he really thought he saw?

  
We've all been burnt once in our life. We all have scars, little marks and a few bruises from time to time without that wanting to say anything except that we are clumsy.

This is what Klaus tried to convince himself  
  
This is what Diego had told him or at least what he had remembered:

  * Make excuses for the other person's violent behavior.
  * Has no friends or family
  * The person tries to hide injuries of any kind
  * Refuses to admit the danger and does not see it.
  * Blame yourself for violent behavior 
  * Seems sad, lonely, withdrawn, and scared.
  * Be defensive and angry.
  * Consumption of drugs and / or alcohol.
  * Denying someone access to their home or vehicle



The problem was, many of these signals could be found in his brother's natural behavior. Angry, hides wounds, drinks alcohol. Or maybe it wasn't his natural behavior but only the result of a childhood in the Umbrella Academy and a lifetime in an apocalyptic world. Come to think of it, he could see some of these warnings in other of his siblings and himself. But here, we were talking about Fabian. A technically most mundane young boy with a very normal life. A boy who looked a lot like his brother, but in a way he wasn't. So what to believe?

In fact, it didn't matter.

It was already too late for him. He had become attached to this boy. Maybe he was getting wrong ideas and it was all a terrible mistake, or maybe for once he was right. And for once in his life, he would rather be wrong. Maybe this boy was just a duplicate of his brother or maybe it was his brother who was completely lost in the vastness of his own mind. Regardless, he was determined he was going to help him one way or another and it will start today. On this bench.

But it's crazy like nothing never goes as planned.

Neither yesterday, nor today and certainly not tomorrow.

Klaus understood this when he saw this huge bag of books lying heavily at his feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please know that the « signs of violence » list is not invented. It’s a dangerous subject that it would be silly to broach without a minimum of knowledge even for a fiction. I did a little research before writing it. You can easily find information on the internet if you ever need more of it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It take me much time than usual, but this end of the year was " fucking special" ? I guess. Anyway, I stupidly wanted this chapter 5 to be special and I had a lot of hesitations about it. Cut it or not, write it more or less, but if I didn’t make decisions I could never finish it. So, enjoy and enjoy the disastrous end of the year and have a nicer start to the new one. Masked Kiss!

A bag was suddenly placed at his feet. He could see books sticking out from inside. His eyes followed the bandaged hands attached to it, those arms hidden by a little jacket too light for the season until they fell on the face barely visible under Fabian's hood.

« It's your books. I give them back to you. I wouldn’t come back to the park. Goodbye »

He turned to walk away quickly. Klaus, too surprised, took a few seconds before reacting and getting up to follow Fabian. Decidedly, it was becoming an habit.

« Fabi! Please wait! »

Fabian stopped but only half turned.

« Can we not do that? Just pick up your books and leave me alone »

« Don't you want to sit down for 5 minutes to talk? »

« I don't have time for that »

« Was it your father who asked you not to come back? »

Fabian turned around completely. His face still hidden by the shadow of his hood.

« I know what you’re thinking »

« Yeah? And what am I thinking, little genius? »

« Don't play with me. You don't know anything ok? »

« And about what? »

« Don't be a jerk »

« But who's the dumbest in this story? The one who doesn’t know and can’t do anything or the one who knows but does nothing? » Klaus couldn't help but a provocative little smile.

Klaus knew he shouldn't have provoked him. He should have kept his cool and talked quietly. But Klaus was Klaus and Klaus often made the wrong decisions and always realize it too late.

He expected a reaction from Fabian. No, it wasn’t true. He expected a reaction from Five. He expected screams, violence, anger. He expected to be pushed and insulted but none of that happened.

« If only… »

Fabian's voice was so small he could hardly hear it.

« If only what?" He should have stayed calm.

Fabian lifted his head, letting his hood fall back slightly, exposing his face to the soft light from the lamppost in the path.

He would have preferred not to see that. Cheeks reddened from the cold, empty, tired eyes. A left eye resting on a large blue and red hematoma. A sad little smile decorated by a split, swollen lip. All of Klaus' courage flew away.

« If only it was that easy »

Fabian put his hands in his pockets before staring the other man straight in the eyes.

« Goodbye Klaus »

* * *

Klaus was lying on his bed. The ceiling had never looked so interesting. He let out a long sigh before lying on his side.

Ten days since he had seen Fabian. Ten days of waiting for something to happen, anything. Ten days he brooded, worry gnawed at him from within, doubts swarmed his skin and uncertainty and questions hammered his brain. He was lost. What was he supposed to do now? He needed to think, to make a plan but that wasn’t his field. It was Five who made the plans. He only follow orders and he didn't follow orders very well. But in this story, Klaus could only rely on himself and it pissed him off. Lord, he needed a drink or something stronger. He wasn't gonna lie, the last few days staying sober had never been so difficult, he had almost broke down several times, but he had held on. But everything is so much easier when you don't have to think anymore.

Klaus turned his head to the corner of his room where he had casually tossed the bag of Fabian’s books. Yes, it was still HIS books and Klaus hadn't paid any attention to it since he had thrown it there. When Klaus arrived home after their last discussion, he had thrown the bag there, not even wanting to look at them because seeing them went to see his defeat. So he had ignored them.

He stood up then walked slowly over to the bag. They didn't deserve to end up in a torn bag in the corner of a messy room. Fabian loved these books, he knew it even though the boy would never admit it. He had seen that little smile too often every time he discovered his new book of the week.

He sat cross-legged in front of the bag and began to pull the contents out and arrange them next to him. Until this one.The first. But something turned his stomach upside down and made him cringe. He was half burnt. The cover had brown spots as well as the bottom edge. The first time Fabian had had this book in his hands, Klaus had told him he could burn it if he wanted to but the boy would never have done that, never. A scene passed in front of Klaus' eyes.

(…) _The bandaged hands attached to it_ (…)

Pause. His bandaged hands. Why would they be bandaged if it wasn't because of an injury? It was an injury. What like injury? Burns? And why? This is what you get when you try to save something you love from the flames. Anger rose in Klaus who held the book tightly in his hands, imagining the scene that must have happened.

The book on fire because of something or _someone_ and Fabian trying to put it out with his bare hands.

The thought made Klaus boil. He couldn't take his eyes off the burnt edges of the book and in a fit of anger he threw the book across the room.

« Hey! Be careful! »

Vanya was standing by the door to his bedroom. The book had narrowly missed her. She bent down to pick it up.

« I don't know what this book did to you but it looks like it got what it deserved »

« Sorry Vany. I didn't hear you come in. What can I do for you? » Klaus stood up to face his sister.

« I'm going to buy a new wardrobe with Luther. Do you want to come with us? I need help carrying it, but Luther will surely be able to carry it on his own. We'll just have to pretend to help » Vanya let out a shy giggle. Sweet Vanya still gently emerging from her shell.

« Even if the idea of preventing my sister from making a monumental mistake in decoration tempts me a lot, I think I'll rather stay here » He finished his sentence by sitting down on the bed.

« Klaus? Are you ok? »

« Of course! I'm perfectly fine, why are you asking? »

« We… We are worried about you. These times you looks distant and worried. Allyson told me that you barely answered his messages and this week Luther saw you only 2-3 times at dinner… »

Klaus threw his head back and sighed loudly.

« If only life were easier! »

« What happened? » Vanya come to sit next to Klaus

Klaus pointed to the book she was still holding in her hands « Do you remember my friend from the books? »

Vanya nodded

« This friend doesn't want to talk to me anymore »

« Oh… and why? »

« He’s in a special situation and I wanted to help him, but Hello! You know how your brother is. I got carried away and he freaked out »

« Klaus, we've already talked about this. You can't do things like ask people if they pee in the shower before you even ask for their first names »

« I think it's an excellent question to know if you have in front of you a good or bad person! I really wanted to try to help him and yes, I don't always ask the right questions but I really wanted to help him and now he doesn't want to see me or talk to me anymore »

« Did you at least try? »

« I… he looked pretty sure of himself »

« So, are you just going to let it go? »

« I'm not the kind to insist » Klaus didn't sound too sure of himself saying that.

« Here is the real problem! »

Klaus was surprised. Vanya continued.

« The real problem is that for once, you don't want to give up so easily »

« …you think? »

« I think you shouldn't let it go » Vanya got up energetically on her own two feet to stand in front of Klaus. Klaus was surprised at his sister's determined gaze.

« But he doesn't want me to interfere in his business anymore »

« And since when does that keep you from getting involved anyway? »

There she had a point.

« But what if I mess more with what I've already messed up? »

« At least you will have tried. Listen Klaus, I don't know who this person is, or who he is in your eyes, but one thing is sure: you look like you care a lot about him. Enough to worry about his personal situation and clearly fear losing him. For me that seems to be enough as a reason to continue even if it scares you. Especially if it scares you. I don't know what situation this person is in or why but what I know… » Vanya paused to look down at the burnt book that had been in her hands all this time. She grabbed it with one hand and handed it firmly to Klaus.

« ... He surely deserves better than that »

Klaus took the object with both hands and squeezed it tightly. Her sister was terribly right. He was let down by fear and had completely lost sight of his objective: To help Five / Fabian. No matter the way, no matter who it was, he couldn't let go now. He had to make himself useful for once in his fucking little life and he was going to do it. For him, for his brothers and sisters and especially for Five.

Klaus stood up determined, a new boost of energy running through his veins. He put a kiss on his sister's cheek and smirked.

« Thank you, O wonderful sister! »

« Guess I shouldn't insist for my wardrobe? » She said watching Klaus heading for the door.

« Not at all! But please, don't choose something boring » Klaus finished as he left his ownroom.

* * *

He walked quickly towards the kitchen, where he had left his tablet. He sat down at the table but where to start?

First, he had found him. But how? The park, he no longer came. During these few days of depression Klaus had been there several times but the boy did not show himself. He didn't have his phone number so he couldn't call or write to him. Fabian wasn’t on any social network. He vaguely knew where he lived. Sending a letter was impossible and going straight to his house would have been too aggressive anyway. He also knew his school was close to the park but…

The school.

The girl who won the poetry contest! There had to be something about that, right? Fabian said it was an important contest. The press wouldn’t have missed the opportunity to cover a beautiful story of a gifted girl earning something unusual. Maybe an article that would teach him something useful.

Hello the vastness of the internet! Klaus searched the web for a moment. He found several articles there, he had learned her name and other details that were unnecessary until this little article in a small virtual newspaper.

« _We can only salute the beauty and intelligence shown by 14-year-old Melanie Anderson after winning the prestigious Rose Bury Prize for Poetry. Young student of Ferguson school she inspires…._ »Klaus didn't continue reading. He had the information he needed.

_Ferguson School_. There was only one near the park. Bingo! He had found him! It's scary to see how easily a person can be found these days. It was clearly not the best way he had to talk to Fabian but it was the only options he had right now.

« Here we go baby »

* * *

The next day Klaus was there. A bundle of nerves. He had arrived shortly before class ended and sat on a small wall on the sidewalk in front of Ferguson School. He looked at the time. A few more minutes. Usually, Klaus didn't have a plan. He was just going to wait there, hoping to see Fabian come out and try to talk to him by pushing all the anger, fear and stress inside him. For once he had to try to listen and not talk all the time to avoid hearing the answers he didn't like. A ringtone sounds. The end of classes. Chaos formed in seconds. Laughs, cries, "See you tomorrow" resonating. Young people going left, right, taking bikes and getting on buses. It was not easy to see all the faces. After a few minutes the crowd dissipated, the flow of people had calmed down and that's where he saw it. Always the same jacket and the same bag. He was heading towards the exit putting on his hood, Klaus didn’t dare to move. Fabian didn't notice him right away but stopped when their eyes made contact and Klaus crossed the few meters that separated them. The sky was gray.

« Hallo! »

« Hi… »

« Can we talk? »

« If you want to talk to me you'll have to follow me, I don't have time for that »

Fabian started to walk with Klaus on his heels.

« I'm sorry about the other time. I didn't mean to freak you out »

« Don't apologize. You didn't freak me out »

« I wouldn’t say that »

« And I tell you that. But if it can make you feel better: I accept your apologies and I'm fine. You can go now »

« Sorry but it won't work this time »

« You’re harassing a 15 year old kid you know? »

« I was serious when I told you that I was worried about you »

« For the 100th time: You don't have to worry. Shit! Are you deaf or what? »

Their little walk had led them to the edge of a football field. A few students were walking through it. The sky was getting grayer and grayer.

« I sometimes listen but only when it’s not bullshits »

« You should listen more often then, because I don’t know how to tell you that anymore »

« How about you tell me the truth first? »

Fabian stopped and turned around

« What truth Klaus? What the hell do you want to hear! »

« I dunno! Could you perhaps start by explaining to me the scratch on your cheek? Or why do you fucking have 3 km long dark circles under your eyes or what happened to your fingers! "

« It's fucking hypocrite to worry about someone's physical health when you're an ex-drug addict »

Klaus widened his eyes. They had never talked about it.

« Oh please! Do you think I didn't notice it? That I didn't know? You would have to be blind not to realize that you have addictions or that you had them. Everything about you screams your ill-being! It's all just a facade that nicely hides the shit behind it. A fake joie de vivre for others but especially for you. You're the kind of people who need to self-destruct to feel like existing. And now you come to cheer up? Pretend that the world is beautiful and that we can all get by if we hold hands? Bullshit yeah. Don't come and be your Good Samaritan after having deliberately screwed up your life. Do you think you can help me? Well I tell you to start by helping yourself before trying with others. You're nice Klaus but if I had to seek advice it certainly wouldn't be from you. You don't even know how to run your own life. What a joke. You still live in your father's house, you have a job that barely allows you to survive and the only friend you have is a kid you met in a park. Isn’t it sad? You're as fucked up as I am except a few years older and I certainly don't want to end up like you »

Ouch. It had hurt. He had done it on purpose, he knew it. This boy was an assassin like his brother and a formidable one. With his words and his actions. In this life or another, he was a murderer. He knew where to stick his claws to bring you to your knees. To make you beg. To make you want to die right now. But Klaus knew something his other victims didn't. Five never attacked unless he felt threatened. All this rage was just a defense mechanism when he was faced with something he was afraid of and couldn't handle. It was one of his weaknesses.

« You know, you don't have to be afraid »

« Afraid? I'm not afraid »

« You’re scared »

The last people who crossed the field disappeared in the distance, leaving them alone in this too large space. Klaus took a step closer to Fabian who was looking at him intently and the sky darkened a little more.

« Right now you are literally terrified and you have no idea how to react to this »

« I am not afraid » He growled

« You are scared »

Fabian took a step back. His eyes slowly clouded over.

« I - I'm not afraid! »

« Yes, you are so afraid »

« I…. I’m not… »

Fabian looked away and bit his lower lip. He was trying not to broke but alas, he did. He looked at Klaus again, a mixture of ferocity and despair in his eyes. And he took a step forward, planting a bandaged finger on the older man's chest.

« You know what Klaus? You're right. I'm scared but I'm scared of one single damn thing. All those ridiculous little fears that others have, I don't have them. I'm afraid neither of spiders, nor of ghosts, nor of pain, not even of death. This is all ridiculous. But… »

His lower lip started to tremble and her eyes refused to let flow the tears that begged to come out from the edge of his lids. His voice echoed desperately between his clenched teeth and his breathing was growing labored. His voice sounded like the moans of a wounded animal that refused to let itself die.

« … Loneliness. This is a terrifying thing. To be totally, viscerally and hopelessly alone. It's irrational, why would I be afraid of this? But there are times when this fear takes over me so much that I dream of it at night. I'm suddenly in a goddamn devastated world where there's nothing but me. Just me. Not a single person in sight, not a tree or a living animal. Just me for all the fucking eternity. When I wake up my whole body is paralyzed. I can't breathe and I feel like my skin is on fire. But you know what? I can't let myself be like this, I have to survive at all costs without being afraid of absolutely nothing »

Klaus took these words with a heavy heart. A memory of his life in the apocalypse? His eyes were itchy, his throat was dry and the sky was dark.

Fabian continued « So I have to make choices. Choices that aren’t always the best. I know this is not an ideal situation. I'm not blind, I know it, but at least… I'm not alone »

« With or without him you are not. I'm here now » Klaus put both hands on his own chest to mark his presence.

« And who are you to be able to help me? I have no idea who you are. You're just a freak that I met one day in a park »

« Yes OK. I’m no one. I'm just a hot guy who often fucked up what he does but… I can try » He couldn't let go, not now.

« You can't do anything Klaus » Fabian looked annoyed.

« Maybe not me but… I could help you find your mother for example? Or an aunt? Uncle or grandparents? Maybe friends of the family? People with whom you could stay the time we find another solution and so that you are not… alone? »

« There is nobody »

« Surely you must remember your mother's name right? » Klaus started to ramble. He has promised to listen but at this point, he heard nothing.

« I don’t remember »

« We can find her on social media or a family member. Nowadays it’s easy to find people thanks to the internet »

« I don't remember her »

« You were too young. Seriously! Just give me a name and I'll find you whoever you want! I've always been good at _Where's Waldo?_ »

« I don't remember her name » replied Fabian in an exasperated tone.

« I had a brother in the police or almost. Did I tell you that? I'm sure he can help us. He'll show us pictures and you just have to do like in the movies when they say _« I recognize him! It's him! »_ »

« I don't remember, Klaus »

« You'll see, we'll get you out of there and it'll all be a bad mem… »

« KLAUS! »

A blue spark brought him back to reality. Fabian was there in front of him. Both fists clenched, his face serious and the sky let escape a few drops of rain.

It was when the first drop of cold rain hit his face that Fabian's words slapped him in the face. So strong, that he became deaf for a few moments. So heavy, that they fell directly to the bottom of his stomach.

_don't remember, don't remember, don't remember_

These words echoed in his head now. They slammed hard against his skull and painfully squeezed his throat. A little silence settled in until Fabian spoke.

« I don't remember, okay? »

He had to ask. Fear and anticipation of the answer twisted his stomach.

« Fabi… What do you mean by I don't remember? »

He finally understood.

The boy loosened his fists. He let both arms fall along his tense body.

« What I mean by that is that … »

No…

« You surely won't believe me »

Oh no…

« A little over two years ago … »

Don't tell me that ...

« I have… »

Don't tell me that now

« A little over two years ago I lost my memory »

Klaus' body, soul and spirit froze. He was only uttering a violent ringing in his ears, his eyes could no longer detach from the boy and his heart was beating so hard against his chest it would almost come out. He no longer felt the ground beneath his feet and cold sweat go down his back. Time was standing still around them. He couldn't move anymore and the drops only fell more strongly.

« What .. what is… what do you mean? »

Fabian sighed

« When we were still living in our old neighborhood, dad managed to send me somehow in a private school. Apparently, one day when I got home from classes, a bunch of uninteresting idiots beat me up. They must have thought I had money or something of value, but I didn't. So they just beat me up and left me half dead in the yard next to my house. This is where my father found me. »

Klaus couldn't believe it. His mouth was struggling to get out the words his head couldn't made.

« When I say I don't remember, it's literally. Friends, family, what I liked or knew, I remember absolutely nothing… I didn't even remember my first name. My father never told me about our family because according to him they aren't worth it and my mother was a big bitch anyway » Fabian let out a small laugh with a second sigh. His eyes were on the verge of overflowing.

« All I know about myself is what my father told me »

« You are not .... you …"

« Why are you so keen to help me? »

Klaus couldn't answer this question. Not anymore. He couldn't answer with the truth. To say that he was just a worried adult about a young boy's fate might have been enough but he knew that same boy would see through his half-lie. The answer took a little too long to arrive for Fabian.

« You don't know it yourself »

« Yes, I must ... you can’t… »

« I need you to stop trying to help me »

« You can't ask me that, not anymore »

« Yet that's what I'm doing »

« ... I can’t »

Fabian rubbed his face with both hands before looking at Klaus defeated.

« Don't do this to me ... Klaus ... he's the only person I have. I have no one but him. In two years, no one has come knocking my door asking for me. Nobody. Without him, I will be totally, viscerally and desperately alone »

Ouch. It had hurt but this time Fabian hadn't done it on purpose.

« You are not. You are not anymore » Klaus moved closer to Fabian. He saw it. He was on the verge of breaking up. Her little older brother was on the verge of collapse. He tried to touch him, to make sure that he was true, to reassure him of his own presence with him, but he withdrew.

« Please… »

Those few words stabbed Klaus in the heart. He had never, absolutely never, heard his brother please anyone.

« Please Klaus. I can't, I can't do this anymore. I ask you one last time… »

Fabian raised his head to Klaus and met his gaze and Number 4's breath got stuck in his throat.

A lonely tear ran down the boy's cheek.

« Please. Leave me alone »

And the sky wept too.

* * *

Klaus slammed the door shut behind him.

It wasn’t possible. It was all a cruel joke of the universe. His heart was so tight, his legs were like cotton and he couldn't stay focused anymore. It was too much.

He walked over to the living room where Ben was sitting on the floor in front of the living room table. Papers and his computer lay all around him. He looked up very quickly to greet his brother and return to his work.

« hi… »

He didn't give a shit anymore. He had to make the feeling that was twisting his stomach go away. He had messed up. It had all messed up so bad.

Klaus got rid of his jacket and his bag on the floor. In a few strides he was in front of the bar. He frantically began to search the cupboards. He was blinded by grief and bitter guilt. This helplessness was rising in his throat and he had to bring it down to the depths of him.

Ben turned around hearing the hubbub

« What are you doing? »

Klaus didn't answer, too lost in his spiral of emotions. He quickly opened the cupboards and drawers.

Ben stood up, he was starting to worry. He knew that look on his brother all too well. He walked over to him.

« Klaus? What are you doing ? »

« I know it’s here! I know it! »

« You know there is nothing left in there »

When Klaus made the decision to stay sober, the Hargreeves also made the decision to get rid of all the alcohol in this house and therefore, their father's bottle collection. But only one bottle was left. One of a very rare and expensive whiskey that they wouldn’t drink until they found Five.

So, it was the perfect time to drink it, right?

« It's somewhere. Allison had left it here. Where the fuck is It?! »

« Calm down Klaus »

« Shut up you want ?! »

« I don't understand what's going on right now but please don't do that »

Klaus was frantic. His movements were jerky and violent. He couldn't find what he was looking for and the overwhelming emotion blinded him completely. A cupboard, a second cupboard, a third, then a drawer, he rechecked the first cupboard, behind glasses, in a box and again a cupboard.

« Can you stop 1 second and tell me what's going on? » Ben walked behind the bar and tried to stop his brother who pushed him « Klaus please. Talk to me. What's happening? »

« Oh Benny! If only you knew you would drink with me »

« Explain it to me! Maybe we can work it out? »

That's where he found it. In a box hidden in a box that was in another box. The solution to his immediate problems. Which will put to sleep the slow agony that was settling in his guts.

He took the bottle and put it on the counter. Ben continued to speak behind him but he was no longer paying attention. He turned around, opened the cabinet full of glasses, took the first one he saw, a wine glass, that will do. He set it down on the counter and prepared to open the bottle when Ben leaned back in front of him and put his hand on his.

« Don’t do that. Don't waste these two years »

« Fuck you » Klaus opened the bottle and filled his glass.

Ben wasn't stupid and Ben was the brother who knew him best. He knew how to reach him, how to talk to him, and how to get past the voices in his head. Ghost or not, Ben was often his voice of reason.

« Five wouldn’t like to see you like this »

Klaus brutally put the bottle back on the counter, his shaking hand gripping the neck. Piss off. Images passed before his eyes.

The tired face of his brother before their return

The first time he saw him in the park

His serious look when he read his books

When he laughed shyly at one of his comments about passers-by

His sorry look when he stroked the stray cat in the park

When he saw his burns

And especially his tears when he begged him to leave him alone

Ben barely had time to push himself when the bottle of whiskey crashed violently against the wall behind him. Then Klaus swept his glass on the ground with the back of his hand before exclaiming.

« Damn it! Fuck! Fucking fuck! » His hands had gripped his hair and a tumultuous back and forth began in the living room.

« Klaus? »

« I screwed up. Jesus Ben! I fucked up so bad! »

« Screwed up what? »

« I'm a fucking idiot! I understood nothing »

At this point, Ben was just watching his brother pace without knowing what to say.

« Klaus stop! »

« Call the others »

« What? »

« Call the others. Vanya, Allison… The others. They must come now »

« Why do you need… »

« Let them come NOW! » Klaus almost yelled

« Ok Ok! I'll call them but you, try to calm down, okay? » Ben took one last look at his brother before leaving the room.

* * *

How long had passed since Ben had disappeared in the hallway? No idea. Klaus continued his desperate walk, impossible to calm down. He could hear his brother's muffled voice in the hallway talking on the phone.

« _… I don't know… no he didn't tell me… yes I tried Diego… listen! Just try to be there as quickly as possible_ » Then the voice stopped to make way for footsteps. Ben came back to the living room and sat down on an armchair.

« I didn't manage to reach everyone but Vanya is on her way, it shouldn’t be too long. Luther neither. Diego is at the other side of town, he's doing it as quickly as possible. I couldn't reach Allison but left her a message. Anyway, we can only see her by video call »

Klaus was not looking at his brother. His arms were crossed in front of him, his foot nervously hitting the ground as his gaze was lost on the pouring rain outside.

« You want to talk about it? »

« Not now. You all have to be there »

« You can always tell them later »

« I wouldn't be able to say it twice Ben »

Seconds, minutes or maybe hours passed before Vanya and Luther walked in through the main door at the same time. You could hear his sister's scared tone.

« Klaus?! Where are you guys? »

« In the living room Vanya » shouted Ben

Their two brother and sister walked quickly into the room. His sister threw herself on her 4th brother.

« Klaus are you okay? Did something happen to you? »

Luther was wearing his working clothes and a worry look on his face.

« Ben said to come immediately. That it was important »

« I ... the others must be there too »

Vanya gently touched his arm

« You don't look very well. You should sit down »

« I’ll be better when I tell you everything »

« So tell us. Diego is still far away and Allison is still not answering »

« Shut up »

« Enough Klaus, you did a fucking scene earlier! You just blew things up on the ground. I want to know what's going on and now! »

Klaus began to move back and forth in the living room again. The words were on the edge of his lips ready to be vomited, his heart would explode at any moment and his whole skin was stinging. He could feel the stares of his siblings on him.

He couldn't, he had to wait. He wouldn't be able to tell it all over and over but he was too full of emotions that just wanted to come out.

« Please Klaus » His sister's sad eyes were detonating.

And he exploded

« I FOUND FIVE! »

The others didn’t have time to react to the first information that Klaus threw himself into the explanations. He poured out everything he was going on from his meeting with Fabian to their discussion on the soccer field. All. Absolutely everything. His mouth couldn't stop anymore. Everything he hadn't said had to come out here and now.

Klaus watched his family gradually freeze. They just listened without asking. Vanya had tears in her eyes. Luther had remained standing with one arm folded over his chest and the other covering his mouth, and Ben, still seated with his elbows on his knees, held his head in his hands.

He was hurting them, he knew it. They weren't expecting this. At the same time, who expects this? They must have been used to it for a long time, but you never get used to cruel stories.

Then Klaus spat out the last words of his story. He felt drained. Dead silence settled in the room, the pouring rain could be heard slamming against the windows but it wasn't long before a deafening cacophony formed in the Hargreeves mansion.

« God damn, that’s can’t be true » Ben

« Wow… » Luther

« I don't understand » Vanya

« When did you meet him? » Luther

« We have to go get him » Vanya

« That why you ask me about double-us on our anniversary?» Ben

« Oh my God! All this time, he was your books friend » Vanya

« Are you sure it's him? » Luther

« Was he okay? » Ben

« He was so close all this time » Vanya

« Why didn't you say anything before? » Luther

« We have to do something » Ben

« We must call the others » Luther

« Damn… » Ben

« Do you know where he is now? » Vanya

Then a violent and repetitive knocks on the front door.

The four Hargreeves looked at each other. No one ever knocked on the door and now was not the time to disturb them.

More knocks

Ben raised an eyebrow at his Number One brother « Diego? »

« Why would he knock? » Luther walked towards the door. The rest of the family followed closely behind.

« Did you close the door? » Vanya asked.

Luther came to the door to open it

« No »

What they saw behind the door shook them. No one moved.

Klaus, who was the last in line, leaned aside to observe outside the person his brother was hiding with his giant body. It was as if someone had hit him right in the stomach.

« Fabian? »


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to cut that chapter in half. So this one is a little short and the next one maybe a little bit too, sorry.   
> So, technically the next one is already almost finished but don’t be fooled, I don’t think I’ll be able to finish it quickly. See you!

Luther was frozen in front of the door he had just opened. He didn't expect that. He didn't expect to open the door and see the brother they had all been looking for for 2 years. He was there, standing in front of them. He could feel the presence of his siblings behind him. Silent, just as surprised as him. He came out of his torpor when he heard Klaus say:

« Fabian? »

Klaus walked through his siblings who no longer seemed to know what to do with their bodies. Arrived at the door, he could finally see the boy completely.

Fabian was there, soaked from head to toe. Bare foot and he was only wearing a blue jogger and a ripped white long sleeve t-shirt that was completely stuck to his body from the rain. His body was shaking lightly and mist escaped his lips with each exhale and let's not talk about his expression. He looked disoriented, panicked, exhausted and sick.

« I’m sorry. I should… I shouldn't be here. I'm going to go » Fabian turned to leave but Klaus threw himself on him to gently grab his hand.

« Hey, hey, hey. No! You are going nowhere »

The boy's first reaction was to try to free himself from the grip but he didn't insist long and let himself be guided inside the house. The boy paused to look around him as the older one closed the door. This house was huge and there were other people inside.

It was a little intimidating.

« Fab, even though I love to have guests, what are you doing here? »

Klaus bent down slightly to look at his face but Fabian dodged the gaze and remained silent.

« Come and sit down. You're freezing »

Klaus led him to the living room sofa. He no longer paid attention to the other members of the family but he knew very well that they were following them closely. Once he was seated he was able to observe Fabian's condition more closely. He was shaking more strongly now and he was wearing nothing more than his clothes. What worried him the most were the little red marks appearing in the visible areas of his skin, the still visible trail of blood under his nose and the faint smell of alcohol.

« What's happened? »

The boy nervously twist his hands then looked at Klaus before looking at the other people in the room. The message was clear, he would not speak in the presence of others.

« Hey! What is this way of welcoming our guests? Why don't you go get that boy something dry to wear and maybe something to drink? Didn't our mother teach you good manners? »

It was Luther who first came out of his amazement while the others seemed still paralyzed against the new arrival.

« Uh ... Um yes. We're gonna do that. You come? » He turned and pulled Ben and Vanya with him, who couldn't take their eyes off the young boy.

Now alone, Klaus asked again « So? »

You could see the nervousness biting into Fabian's skin, but he made an effort to speak.

« You know, my dad didn't want me to come to the park anymore. So, after school I sit in front of the door of my house waiting for my father who arrives late from work. Usually he's never there when I arrive »

Fabian took a deep breath

« Today was different. When I arrived I heard a noise at home. It was weird. My dad opened the door and he looked happy to see me. He never looks happy to see me. It was even more weird. He let me in and I heard laughter in the kitchen. My father apparently brought some friends home »

« Did you know them? »

« No… He had never introduced me to these people. I greeted them and then left to mind my own business. When I got out of the bathroom my father was waiting for me and he offered to spend some time with them. I didn't want to but I went. You don't say _NO_ to my dad and I didn't want any trouble. They weren't mean. They were even funny at first. We talked about everything and they even offered me a drink »

That explained the smell of alcohol

« I had never drunk but I know that when you haven't eaten anything, it takes effect faster »

Klaus knew he wasn't going to like what was following.

« I hadn't eaten all day so… I quickly started to feel numb. This is where their questions started to get too personal. I didn't like it » His eyes were starting to cloud over and the words came out harder and harder « I wanted to leave several times but they insisted that I stay. At one point I completely lost count of the drinks I had had. I didn't understand much more, I just wanted to sleep but when I got up, I could - I couldn't walk straight anymore »

Fabian's voice was shaking and tears were threatening to fall furiously but he didn't seem to realize it.

« They were laughing. It made them laugh and they offered to take me back to my room. One of them took me by the arm. I didn't want his help but I couldn't stand it anymore. I thought they were just going to leave me there and go back but… »

And the tears fell.

« Fabi? »

« … But they haven't left. One of them was too close, too much close. They stayed to supposedly help me get to bed. I'm not naive, I'm no longer a baby. I knew very well what they wanted. One of them was sitting on the bed, I tried… I tried to get up but he stopped me »

It was like seeing Five lost in the middle of a frozen lake and finding yourself at the edge of it without being able to help him. The fragility of the situation was like ice. Klaus didn't want say anything or do anything fearing to break this fragility. He dared not come to him for fear of breaking him. He could only wait for that drenched boy in front of him to slowly make his way to him. Deep inside, he wanted to scream, cry, hit, run to bring him back to shore as quickly as possible, but he had to stay still. He saw Fabian advancing painfully towards him and he could only stand ready to catch up with him if he fell.

« I couldn't stay there. It was out of the question that I let myself be. I wanted to come see you, my decision was made. You made me realize that I couldn't live like this anymore. I no longer wanted to only survive because… because I was… afraid »

Fabian waved his hands feverishly and more tears fell.

« So I pushed him as hard as I could and - and I ran. I had to get out of there at all costs but the other man caught me and I fell. I fell hard »

It explains the marks and the blood. Marks of struggle.

« My head was spinning, I didn't understand where I was anymore but I HAD to get out of there so ... I don't even know h-how I did it but I-I managed c-catch a lamp and - and I hit him on the head. He was not moving. Maybe I killed him… But ... but I didn't think twice and I left » Fabian clenched his two fists as he looked into the void, reliving the scene « I saw… I saw my father just before going out, he was there Klaus. He was in the hallway and - and he didn't even try to help me »

And Number 4 couldn't hold back his tears. He was crying for him and because of the terribly sordid game life had decided to play with his old little brother. He put his hand on the back of the younger's neck in a gesture of comfort. Comfort that made him jump. This made him to cry even harder.

Fabian wiped his tears with the back of his sleeves and continued his dark story.

« I had to find help, I had to go somewhere safe, but I… I'm… the only person I could think of was… that was… »

« Me? »

« I don't even know how I got here. I was in my neighborhood and suddenly I was here, in front of this house and I ... and I… »

Tears didn't stop anymore on the boy's face. He couldn’t hold back now that everything was out. Klaus was about to speak and take him in his arms when Fabian jumped up, reeling a little.

« Fuck I-I'm sorry! I shouldn't have come. It's not up to you to help me, I'm sorry. I’m leaving »

Turn to Klaus to get up and put his two hands on the shoulders of the smaller one.

« You staying here, you hear me? »

He cupped his face with both hands before staring at him straight in both eyes with determination. A rare determination in this Hargreeves member.

« Listen to me and listen to me carefully. You did NOTHING wrong, absolutely NOTHING. What happened is not your fault, okay? Those motherfuckers were cowards and disgusting filthy pigs and they got what they deserved. You did what it took to get out of there and I'm glad you came here. I'm so SO sorry something like this happened to you but you're here now and I promise, cross my heart, that I won't let you down. We're not going to leave you alone! »

Fabian. Five. Never looked so young and so old at the same time. It was like a child who had just emerged from a battlefield. He looked so tired. He gently grabbed Klaus' sleeve and opened his mouth to say something, but the sound of the door closing sharply startled them both.

« What are you three idiots doing hiding behind the wall? »

Diego

Klaus saw his brother appear in the doorway of the living room. Then he turned his head towards them and he had never seen such an expression in Diego's face. Surprise, sadness, relief, tenderness, incomprehension. All of these feelings raced across his face as his eyes locked on the boy facing Klaus.

Klaus had time to hear his sister say « Wait Diego! » before this one, in a few steps, be in front of him. Holding the missing kid so tightly in his arms he almost lifted him off the ground and he whispered « There you are »

Fabian was paralyzed, his fists clenched and staring desperately at Klaus, not knowing how to react to the new situation.

« Hey, young Banderas, let go of the kid, will you? You scaring him »

But Diego doesn’t react. Klaus looked for help from Ben, who had entered with the other family members. One look is enough for Ben to react.

« D’? Leave him. We need to explain something to you »

Diego let go of the boy but continued to look at him blissfully.

« Come on. Let's go to the kitchen, I'll explain it to you » Ben pulled his arm towards the kitchen. Diego who clearly didn’t want to leave his newly found brother put up a little force.

« Wait, why? What's happening? »

« We will explain it to you but you have to come with me »

Diego let himself be guided but gave Fabian a few glances before leaving the room. He and Ben headed for the kitchen with Luther. Vanya stayed behind to put clothes and a bottle of water on the corner of the sofa. She froze for a few seconds as well before going out, giving her brothers a sad smile.

Once again alone in the room, Klaus put a hand on the young man's shoulder, who was still surprised by what had just happened.

« I told you my family was special! »

« You didn't lie to me by telling me that your family looked like a Benetton advertisement »

Klaus laughed sweetly at the remark before resuming his seriousness « Sorry about that… »

« It's okay… Does he always hug strangers like that? »

_Stranger_

Klaus laughed nervously this time « Yeah, he's a very friendly person » His gaze fell on the boy beside him. He had long dark circles, he was still shivering slightly and he wrapped his arms around his body « You must be exhausted and cold ... I'll show you your room. We'll talk about all this situation tomorrow, okay? »

Klaus took what his sister had left for them and headed for the stairs follows by his adorably monstrous little brother in the making.

When they passed Five's room, he hesitated for a moment. Should he give him his old room? This room full of memories and things that belonged to a former him that he didn't even remember? He didn't even know existed? Maybe soon, maybe not today, maybe not tonight.

They arrived in one of the many guest rooms in the house. It was a neutral room with a little bathroom

« Welcome to your palace! The door at the back is the bathroom, there are towels in the cupboard. I leave you dry clothes, courtesy of the teenage-me who no longer wears them. I'm going to get some sheets for the bed, I'll be right back »

But before he could get out, Fabian grabbed his sleeve again.

« Wait! »

So Klaus stopped and looked at the shaking hand that was holding him back and he wait.

« …thank you »

The word was small and uncertain. It was unhappy and encouraging at the same time. It was scared and full of hope. It was a sad word to hear, but the boy didn't stop there.

« Sorry for what I said this afternoon. I was angry and I didn't mean it. I was just...sorry » the last word was said in a whisper

« Don't thank me buddy and for what you said, don't worry. I've heard worse before but you're the first to apologize so thank you. You know, It takes more to take down the great Klaus! » He ended with a reassuring smile and left the room.

He rested his back against the door for a few seconds and took a deep breath. Man, this story was a fucking hard big mess. But the hardest part was yet to come. Now he knew and his brothers too, that this boy was their missing brother. A little doubt still persisted but the whole thing came together far too well. Their brother disappeared two years ago and this boy lost his memory two years ago. A coincidence? I doubt. But if Fabian was indeed their brother, how were they going to let him know? How were they going to get his memories back to him? Vanya had experience with this. They couldn't all come together as a herd and tell him the whole story in one sitting. He would end up in a asylum.

Klaus arrived in the laundry room and took everything he needed before going back to Fabian. Five. He didn't know what to call him anymore.

There was one more thing to work out. A big detail. A huge detail. The supposed father of Fabian. Damn, who was that guy. Who was this poor asshole who had kept their brother sequestered in this horrible situation and who had made him believe that his life was the one he imposed on him? But what if… what if this man was somehow his real father? What if life had been cruel enough to give this poor boy another disastrous father because even though he was pretty sure this boy was his missing brother there was a tiny part of him that was asking « _what if it was just a huge coincidence? »_ Life had already given them too many unpleasant surprises for him not to trust her completely.

« Knock Knock! I was thinking that if you were hungry we could order some pi… »

His eyes fell on Fabian's sleeping face. He must have been sitting on the bed waiting for him and end up falling asleep on his side, his legs still outside the bed. Not very comfy. He was changed with the dry clothes Klaus had left him and the water bottle resting half-opened on the bedside table. He wasn't going to wake him up, he needed to rest after so many emotions. As delicately as possible, Klaus took his legs to rest them on the bed before placing a thick blanket on him and a pillow under his head. Fabian doesn't react, he must have really been exhausted.

Klaus leaves a note on the desk before giving his brother one last glance and turning off the light to exit the bedroom.

* * *

Klaus barely had time to set foot in the kitchen when he was grabbed by the front of his shirt. His head banged against the wall and his body was almost lifted off the ground.

« TELL ME IT'S A FUCKING JOKE! » Diego wasn't speaking, he was screaming.

« Diego, please! » Vanya made a timid attempt to stop her brother but was unsuccessful.

« How is that possible Klaus! You have to be fucking kidding me! How could you hide this massive bomb from us, dude! »

Klaus put his hands on Diego’s with a worry face « Believe me I would have preferred it to be a joke but it isn’t! »

Diego pressed his brother tighter against the wall « I swear to God, Klaus, if you weren't my brother, right now I would have smashed your face. How could you not tell us anything?! »

« I wanted to tell you, all this time but »

« But what? But when? Maybe when one of us would have run on him by chance at the supermarket and there you would have said « _Oops! By the way, he lives across the street if ever you want to go see him_ » Damn, what’s wrong with you ?! »

« I wanted to be sure of what I was going to tell you »

Ben, who was sitting against the counter, manifested « We had the right to know man… »

Luther who was standing behind Diego ready to intervene if things got out of hand « What did you want to be sure of? You should have told us we are .. »

« We are his fucking family! » Interrupted Diego

It was Klaus' turn to explode. He pushed his brother who took a few steps back « WHAT IF WE WERE NOT? IF WE WERE NOT HIS FAMILY IN THIS TIMELINE? THEN WHO WE WERE TO TAKE HIM FROM HIS LIFE ?! »

The silence dropped heavily in the room for a few seconds before Diego continued, the anger still in his voice.

« What do you mean? You saw his face, it's him! It's obvious! »

« It's not so obvious when you listen to him tell you about his daily life as a normal high school student! »

These few words seemed to have lost the four brothers and sister into deep thoughts.

« We're not going to lie to each other. We all dreamed of having a normal life while growing up. Go to school, have friends, go to the movies, come home at night with a father who will ask you how your day went while he heats up a meal. We all dreamed of it at one time or another »

No answer, it was true. They all dreamed of this normal life.

« Our lives so far have been shitty lives, but his… his is breaking bad luck records. Come on. His life at the Academy with the so great Reggie, then a post-apocalyptic life for more than 40 years, years as an assassin against his will, three battles to prevent two apocalypses and trying to escape the wrong timeline with low-cost super heroes who want you dead, to finish with this! It’s so unlucky that it’s funny!”

« Yes it wasn’t a happy little life but we are here today. We can help him and make sure he’s okay now » Diego was a little calmed down but the fierce gaze was still there.

« And what if he was already doing well? Why would we have take him out of this? »

Ben put a hand on his forehead before whispering « Shit ... I think I see where you're going with this »

Luther, who was a bit confused and staring between Ben and Klaus, asked « I don't understand. If he's our little brother then why wouldn't we say anything? »

Klaus walked over to his brother Number 2 « D', believe me, at first I didn’t know anything about his father and I really wanted with all my heart this boy to be our little psycho in school uniform but… If this boy wasn’t him, then we had no rights on him. He would only have been a sad illusion of our brother. But if he somehow was, didn't remember us, was finally living the normal life we all wished he had and he then deserved… »

Vanya who had been silent all along finally spoke « … so who were we to prevent him from living it… » and Vanya cried at the thought of voluntarily having to let her brother go.

« Even knowing that we were his brothers and sisters? » Luther had beaten puppy eyes.

« Especially knowing it. It would have been cruel and selfish of us to prevent him from living a good life if he didn't even remember us » Ben's gaze was dark.

« That's why I didn't tell you right away. At first I had to know what we were up against and I'm sorry. Really sorry. I didn't want things to turn out this way and I didn't want to hurt anyone. I promise you that I only learned today that Fabian had lost his memory and that all that… all that… Jesus! » Klaus wiped the few tears from his face with his hands « I only realized today that this boy who is sleeping upstairs and who life seems to hate was certainly this brutally kind old-young bastard that is our apocalyptically lost of Brother Five. Our Five »

Diego sat down heavily on a chair. The rage had subsided to give way to uncertainty « Have we found him? »

Vanya sniffled softly « Not yet…»

Luther, still frozen in the same place « ... maybe I should call Allison back »

Shit. There was still one Hargreeves to tell about this story.


	7. Chapter 7

_He was alone in a ruined room. He didn't see anyone, but he felt a presence. It was dark and the silence was deafening. Something was wrong. He had to get out of there and quickly but his body refused to move. Neither his legs, nor his arms, nor his lungs obeyed him. He couldn't breathe, he wanted to vomit. He felt something grab his ankle and slowly move up his leg. Something else was touching his forearm and making its way up to his shoulder. He had to move, go out, run. Suddenly, his body started to move, he was running, away from it, away from everything. He was running as fast as his numb body allowed him. Then a cloud of blue energy engulfed him, carried him, rocked him and then dragged him wildly into an endless dark abyss._

It’s was by hitting the bathroom floor that Fabian woke up. He gasped and his brain panicked for a few seconds before remembering where he was. At Klaus house. Fabian got up painfully before leaving the bathroom. He looked at the bed and the blanket on the floor. He didn't remember falling asleep or coming into the bathroom. He must have been walking while sleeping… He had a terrible headache and he still felt the tiredness from the day before. The sun was already up, what time was it? He inspected his surroundings to notice a small piece of paper on the desk next to painkillers.

« **_Come join me in the kitchen tomorrow morning. At the bottom right! - Klaus »_**

He wasn't going to lie, the thought of seeing Klaus made him nervous. Yesterday had been a terrible day and a hellish night. A shiver ran through his body as flashes of the evening crossed his mind. He felt uncomfortable facing the consequences. He didn't know what to expect coming down to this unfamiliar kitchen.

After a quick wash, Fabian began his descent towards the kitchen. The hallways were long, the stairs wide, the ceilings high. He no longer counted the number of doors he had passed. He stopped at a particular door for a few moments, a door that brought back a strange feeling. Too familiar. This whole house had a few _Deja vu_ things. He continued his little tour of the place. He arrived at the living room he had already seen last night, he didn't remember it was so huge. He suddenly felt tiny in this house. He continued to go down until he finally heard a few voices in the distance.

« You can't put your leftover tandoori chicken in the eggs » A deep, masculine voice he didn't know.

« And why not? It can be good and it would be a shame to waste » Klaus' voice. It was reassuring to hear him.

« You can always eat this later » a female voice

He arrived at the entrance to what he assumed was the kitchen. There were five people inside including Klaus. No one seemed to have noticed him through their heated discussion. He hesitated a few seconds before clearing his throat to get their attention. Five pairs of eyes turned to him. Ok, there he was even more nervous.

« Bonjour marmotte! How did you sleep? » Klaus approached him. He nodded but didn't dare move from the entrance where he had stopped.

« Come sit down, I will introduce you »

He followed the taller one and took the seat Klaus held out to him.

The other 4 people seemed petrified, they continued to look at him without saying anything. It was disturbing and annoying, what did they have to watch him like he was a ghost?

Then Klaus exclaimed « Hargreeves family this is Fabian. Fabian, this is your-MY ... my family. We have Luther, the tall guy at the end of the table, the boy with the cup of tea, it's Ben, the guy who cuddles for no reason, Diego and the girl in the big sweater is our Vanya »They all greeted uncertain hand signals and timid littles « hi ».

They had come to an agreement last night. Right now they wouldn't say anything to the boy. Of course, they were dying to do it and welcome him like a real member of the family, but the person in front of them had already gone through enough trauma for them to add one. No one could imagine tell him « Hey! You know, your dad is definitely not your real dad but we may be your real foster siblings. Oh! And you’re not 15 but at least 60. Have a good day! » They were idiots, not cruel.

Vanya was the first to speak

« Ni-Nice to meet you! I am Klaus' sister. Would you… would you like to eat something? Diego was preparing scrambled eggs »

« Uh ... okay... »

Suddenly everyone seemed to want to do something. It was like having flipped a light switch.

Ben stood up too quickly « Do you want a coffee? No you don't drink that. Yes? Apple juice? »

Diego opened a cupboard « I'll make you toast too. You're too skinny, you need to put some good fat in that body. Maybe some fruits? »

Luther got up « I take care of the fruits. Yesterday the nice lady with whom we worked gave me a whole basket of fruits from her garden »

And Vanya finished « They are a bit boring. I'll get you some peanut butter »

Fabian didn't know how to react to so much attention directed at him. He watched in amazement all these strangers fidgeting in the kitchen to cook HIM a breakfast and it was…

« You're okay? » Klaus was sitting next to him and had put his hand on his shoulder. The gesture made him jump.

« It's just… it feels weird »

« What is weird? »

« It's the first time that someone cooks something for me »

Diego let go of the spatula he was holding in his hand. Fabian did not realize the story told by those words he had just said so naturally. He picked up the object before returning to the table, plate in one hand.

« Enough talk. Eat kid »

« I'm not a kid, but thank you » Fabian took the plate that was handed to him and took a hesitant first bite under the watchful eyes of the siblings.

Breakfast passed through anecdotes and sidelong glances directed at the smaller Hargreeves. It was strange having to explain to their brother who they were, what they did with their lives, and repeat their names several times. It was weird watching this brother slowly eating at their table as he looked around like everything was new while in his childhood home. It was strange to see this little brother jump at loud noises or too sudden movements. It was a strange situation that no one wanted to get used to.

When everyone finished eating, Luther and Ben cleared the table while the others chatted with Fivian.

« Do you do solo concerts? »

« It does happen, but most of the time I just play with the orchestra »

« I have never heard anyone play the violin in live »

« One of these days you could come with me to a rehearsal. What do you say? »

Fabian's eyes lit up like those of a child who had just been given a gift and he smiled. A rare little smile on that face « I can? I would love that »

Then, something crashed noisily on the floor at the entrance of the kitchen which made everyone jump. Fabian, who had his back to the door, turned around quickly. A woman was standing there, a hand pressed to her mouth and her eyes wide open.

« Oh my God! »

Allison. She was standing there and like their brother with knives, no one had time to react as she was already holding the boy in her arms in a bear hug so strong that you could almost hear the boy's bones crack. Again, the boy looked panicked and looked around for Klaus.

« Allison is not… » tried Klaus

« I know. I know… » Allison said with tears in her eyes. Then she pulled away and looked at Fabian with a tender smile « Sorry if I scared you! Sometimes i get overwhelmed by emotions. I'm Allison, the last sister of this crazy bunch of people »

« I…hum...Fabian »

« Are they nice with you? »

« Yeah. I guess? »

« Very well! Nice to meet you. Vanya? »

« Yes? »

« I brought littles things he might need. They are in my suitcase at the door »

Understood. Her sister had to speak with the rest of the family but without the younger one being present.

« Ok. Come with me » Vanya nodded to Fabian

« What is this habit of your family of hugging strangers? » And they disappeared through the door.

Once out of the kitchen, Allison turned with a fierce look to her brother Number 4. The slap he received echoed throughout the kitchen. Ben walked over but Klaus stopped him with one hand.

« I deserved this one… »

Allison pointed a finger at Klaus with a sad threatening look « You are going to explain everything to me with all the great details or I swear to you that I going to rumors you to believe that you are a chicken until the end of your life! »

* * *

Allison listened intently to her brother. Her expressions changing according to the intensity of the story.

She had finished her day very late yesterday and her stress was soaring when she saw all those messages and missed calls from her family. She managed to get Luther on the phone who briefly tell her the story. Her heart sank to her stomach and for the first time in her life she was speechless. After that, she did everything she could to take the first available flight to get to the Academy. She hadn't believed it until a few minutes ago when she saw the back of that black haired head sitting at their kitchen table.

« And he got here » say Klaus

« God… » Allison was stunned

« I think without realizing it, he must have blink here. He needed a safe place and subconsciously he knew where he needed to go » Ben was the first to intervene in this impromptu family reunion.

« Doesn't he remember anything? Really nothing? Not even his powers? » She was so shocked.

« I think sometimes he dreams about his time in the apocalypse but since he doesn't know he's been through that well, he thinks it's just nightmares. I think like Ben, his powers are there but he doesn't see them » Klaus remembered those few times when Fabian told him about his awful nightmares or his memory lapses that sometimes happened to him between a place and another.

Luther informed his sister « We have decided not to tell him anything. Not for the moment »

« This whole thing is so… Fuck » Diego ran his hand through his hair

Vanya entered the kitchen again but without Fabian « What did I miss? »

« Where's Five? » Diego asked

« He's taking a shower. He thanks you for the clothes, Ali. So? What did I miss? »

« « _The Wonderful Return of Five 3_ » » It was Ben who bounced back, summing up their conversation like the title of a movie.

« I keep wondering. Shouldn't we tell him? He has the right to know. It's his life after all » Vanya sat down next to her sister.

« Ok but what do we say exactly? It's been two years since he believed he was a teenager living with an abusive father, whom he believed to be alone in the world and that the only memories he had are lies » Klaus' eyes searched the ceiling for a divine answer.

« We'll drive him crazy if we tell him everything all at once » Luther was not a psychologist but he could well imagine the kind of impact this type of news could have on a person

« But if he finds out that he hasn't been told, he might blame us. No? » Vanya knew for a fact that her brother preferred to know the truth as painful as it was.

« Klaus, what do you know about his father? » Diego directed their attention to another latent subject.

« Not much. Just that he's a first-rate bastard and he works late »

« We have to find him »

« And before he finds Fi-Fabian. How do you call him? » Allison had taken a very serious expression « I don’t know how he managed it but if he managed to make it look Five is his son we are going to have serious problems, believe me. Because there, we are not going to have to fight against a super villain with super powers but against problems of human life and none of us is very good at that »

« Shit… » And another general shit.

While everyone was discussing the huge shitty story, Ben walked slowly towards Klaus.

« I was asking myself a question »

« And what question is it my octopus brother? »

« Did you see if Fabian had the Umbrella Academy tattoo? »

* * *

This incredibly terrible little tattoo which marked all the members of the family, or almost, and showed without doubt their belonging to something that had been beyond them since the beginning of their existence. We often end up wearing tattoos as a second skin. We get so used to it that we end up no longer seeing them, forgetting them and Klaus had forgotten it was there. Because he had always dreamed that this unwanted indelible mark would disappear, this shitty little tattoo that would have dispelled any doubt about Fabian's identity. How had he not thought of it?

Klaus recounted all the moments spent with the boy. All those moments in the park. Both wore jackets, but the boy never hinted at a single piece of skin. Not once had he seen his arms, only this time after their dinner. Fabian always hid them very carefully under excessively long sweaters, the sleeves of which he often pulled. The weather was cold and their meetings took place outside until yesterday. Jackets were a must even for him who liked to let his skin breathe. But, had Fabian seen his tattoo under his long sleeves? If that was the case, he would have pointed it out to him if he has noticed that they had the same symbol on their skin, no? Maybe the boy just hadn't seen him? Not noticed? Or maybe… had he never seen this tattooanywhere else?

Klaus was pulled out of his thoughts at the agitated tone in Fabian's voice

« But I'm fine, I don't see why I should get checked out! »

Fabian was dressed in the new clothes Allison had brought him. Simple beige jeans and a dark green sweater. He was in the infirmary with Klaus, Ben and Diego. He was standing and unconsciously moving away from them, like a trapped animal.

« I believe you, okay? But yesterday you said you fell and you have bruises as black as Diego's hair » Ben tried to be as soft and understanding as possible.

« And why is he here? » Fabian said pointing to Diego who was leaning against the wall

« It's my house. I do as I please to » It was Diego's protective instinct. As soon as he knew his brothers were heading for the infirmary, he followed. He had to know what to expect. To know what sort of death he would inflict on whoever had hurt that boy.

« I'm telling you I'm fine! Why do I have to repeat it? And besides, you're not even a doctor! » This time he pointed a hand in Ben's direction.

« I'm not yet but I know more than you think » Ben had learned a lot from his years in Sparrow Academy. Their father decided to give them basic medical education so that they could deal with their own injuries on the battlefield. He approached Fabian slowly, keeping his voice as low as possible « Listen, I don't want to make you uncomfortable. What would you say if I promised you that I wouldn't do anything you didn't want to? »

Fabian seemed to be living an internal battle. He turned his gaze to Klaus to find an answer « Klaus? »

« It's for your own good amigo and then Ben is as good as Dr. Quinn. You can trust him »

Fabien still didn't look 100% sure about the decision but ended up nodding towards Ben who took action « Sit down on the bed. When was the last time you went to the doctor? »

« I think it had to be before I lost my memory… »

Diego looked shocked from the corner of the room he was leaning against. « Wait. It's been over two years since you've been to a doctor? Who's treating your wounds then? »

Another internal battle « ... me » Surprised gasps rose in the room and Fabian hastened to add « But my father always buys everything it needs »

We could feel the anger rising in Diego « As if that was enough »

Ben, also shocked, had to keep his cool « I'm just going to check your constants ok? Your heart, your temperature and all that »

Fabian nodded and Ben began to work. Other than a weight that was too low for his physical age, the rest seemed normal. The boy look calmer and did what Ben asked him but there came a difficult part and Ben knew beforehand what kind of reaction he was going to get from the boy in front of him.

« I need to ask you a question and I need you to answer me as honestly as possible. If you want we can ask the others to come out »

Fabian raised an eyebrow, nodded, and simply waited for the question.

« Alright » Ben took a deep breath « Last night did these men… »

Fabian didn't let him finish, knowing all too well what the Asian was going to ask « NO! I didn't let them do it! They - they tried to…. To… but I left. I told Klaus. Didn't you hear? I went and-and… »

Ben raised both of his hands in a reassuring gesture « Ok, ok. Calm down. I had to ask but I believe you »

Ben sat back down on the stool he was on. It wasn't easy for him, he was nervous. He shouldn't show anything so as not to stress the young boy in front of him, but none of that was easy and the next question would stress the boy even more.

He glanced at Klaus one last time, the moment of truth was approaching, which was why they had come down to the infirmary.

« Fabian, I need you to take your sweater off now »

« What? Hell no! »

« I just have to check »

« Check what? »

Ben had never been good at lying, even when it was a half lie, but he couldn't tell the boy the real reason.

« Klaus, told me he saw injuries on your arms »

Fabian opened his mouth but no sound came out, he seemed hurt and looked at Klaus who seemed very bad to have betrayed his trust.

« Sorry, I had to »

« I promise you, I'll be quick »

Fabian looked between Klaus, Ben, Diego, then Klaus again and finally Ben. He didn't want to, he knew what they were going to see and he didn't want to be exposed in front of them.

Still reluctant, he took the bottom of his sweater with his trembling hands and quickly lifted it above his head and the 3 brothers found themselves facing a constellation of injuries of all kinds. Marks and bruises of all colors. Blue, red, green and yellow. Some faded away like millions miles away, while others seemed too close. Violent stars appeared to have left long cuts encrusted in his skin and cigarettes meteorites left their smoking craters on the skin of his arms. It was an atrocious sight of a too starry sky.

Klaus turned his gaze so as not to show his glassy eyes. If only he had seen this sooner.

Ben hadn't noticed his breath stuck in his throat. He gazed at every wound, every cut, every scratch and burn. There were many, too many.

But it was Diego who first saw what he didn't know they were looking for. His body lifted off the wall and he quickly approached the bed. He grabbed the wrist of the latest addition to the Hargreeves family and twitched it.

Violent and gentle was the abominable confirmation.

Fabian didn't dare look at them. He knew what they were going to think of it. He could feel their eyes on him. He could be called a coward, but he didn't want to face their pity. At that moment, he would have liked to disappear into the bottom of a hole but the strong grip that held his wrist held him back in the bitter reality.

« Hey! But what ... Don't touch me, Shithead! » Fabian tried to pull away

« What the fuck is that? » Diego was looking furiously at his mutilated arm

« Let go of me! »

« Did he do this to you ?! »

Fabian was standing now but his wrist was still firmly held by the older man. Klaus and Ben were both close together and were looking at that wrist that once bore the terrible mark of belonging. This is their confirmation. She was there. There was no longer any doubt. The coincidences could not be so numerous. Between the old burns still stood out some black lines of the tattoo. Old vestiges of its existence on the boy.

« Fab… what happened to you? » Klaus whispered, eyebrows narrowed in concern.

The smaller boy's breathing was choppy, he didn't know how to answer. All eyes were on him and he could only stare at the huge burn that decorated his arm. He still remembered the smell of burning flesh and the burning pain he felt when…

He looked Klaus straight in the eyes « That's why my father didn't want me to be alone at home anymore »

« Are you the one who did this? »

« It's BECAUSE of me that happened »

« Explain » Number 2's anger wasn't directed at the boy but he couldn't help his dry tone.

Fab gulp and began to speak

« My father told me that once I-I found his supply of alcohol and I was completely drunk at home alone. I went out and found someone unscrupulous to-to tattoo a kid. I got a stupid umbrella made. I don't even know why. Do you believe that? All this for a ridiculous little umbrella on your arm »

Diego finally let go of his wrist, too stunned. Fabian brought his arm back to him and massaged his scar with his other hand before continuing his story

« He was drunk the night he told me this story. I had barely woken up from my assault, I wasn't myself yet. Suddenly, he was furious. He told me that it was unacceptable, that he had let this matter go but it was time to give my body a second chance like my head. It-it was a tattoo, a real one. There isn't much you can do to make it go away. I guess burning him was the best solution he could think of… I was still a bit stunned from what had happened to me so I couldn't react in time, I had barely assimilated his words that he had put my arm on the table and-and was pressing the iron against my skin. It all happened very quickly… »

« Oh my fucking Jesus Christ » Klaus sat down on the bed, broken down by the story. Diego punched the small table beside the bed so hard that he startled the younger one.

« At least that thing is gone » The boy didn't seem to realize

« Give me his name » Diego was turning his back to them, his posture was rigid and firm. He was standing upright on his own two feet.

« What? »

He turned and his gaze could have killed anyone who challenged him « The name of your asshole dad. Give it to me »

« I'm not ... It's in the past, ok? It's only a fucking scar now! »

« You can't seriously believe what you are saying »

« How do you know that, you asshole? »

« You're smarter than that »

« Yes, I am, pea brain! I am certainly smarter than you 3 put together »

« So, prove it. Because there you look like an idiot »

« Because I'm not making a drama out of a past story? »

Klaus tried to put a hand on his older little brother's arm, but he immediately pushed him away « Do you realize what he did? He burned you with a fucking iron! »

« It's-It's just skin. It healed, I moved on so do the same »

« It's not just that Fabian and you know it » Ben pointed to the constellation of injuries that decorated his body.

Fabian was still, still holding his arm against him. He knew how bad this whole thing was. He knew it but he couldn't admit it to himself. He couldn't get over the fear that paralyzed him at night.

« Give me his fucking name »

« No »

Klaus, tried to reason with him « Fab, we just want to talk to him. You understand don't you? »

« If I give it to you, you will… what are you going to do to him? He’s not that terrible »

« Once again. You can't seriously believe what you are saying »

Diego approached the boy again and put his two hands on his shoulders to look him straight in the eyes « I don't know if it's some sort of Stockolshit syndrome or if you really believe that son of a bitch is not so terrible but YOU came to us to seek help. It was YOU who knocked on our door. Deep down, YOU know this story is fucked up. I know you're smart enough to know that at one point or another someone was going to ask you this. So don't be surprised. Do you want our help? Very well but let us help you » He tightened his hands on the shoulders of his old little brother who was smaller than ever under his determined and animal gaze « Give. Me. His. Name »

« We just want to help you » Ben had kept his voice soft

« Please » Klaus was now next to him, smiling.

Fabian spoke « His name is » never had it been so hard to say a name.

_His name_

A simple name that scratched his throat. A sense of betrayal and justice tugged at his interior but he pushed through them. They were right, he was the one who had chosen this new path so it didn't matter if it was painful, scary and stressful. He had to stick to it. All this time he had lived blindly in the uncertainty of what his life was like and in fear of the one he called « dad ». In fear that this one word that linked him to a tangible person would disappear. He was desperately clinging to that word in an attempt to fill a void he felt deep inside. A void he did not understand, inexplicable and incomprehensible. But his survival instinct had hit him right in the stomach the day he met Klaus. That day, something had moved in the shadow of the void that inhabited it. What was that? No idea. But it was something terribly familiar and reassuring. It was a feeling, that for the first time, as far as he could remember, he had found heartwarming. A whisper in his ear told him that everything would be fine, that he could trust. He was not someone confident or gullible, he never let his guard down, he only trusted himself. But maybe and only maybe this time he could trust someone else. Why them? No idea. It was neither rational nor logical and yet it was so obvious.

So, so…

Maybe this time and only this time he could let his guard down, a little, just a little?

« His name is Michael. Michael Smith »


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter presented a difficulty for me. When to call Five, Five or Fabian or Fabian, Fabian or Five, because they are both the same character but two different characters at the same time. Once again I had to make choices.  
> Enjoy!

After their little tour in the infirmary and the discovery of Five's burnt tattoo, long sleeves had become mandatory in the Hargreeves mansion. It was one more thing to add to the long list of things that shouldn’t yet be said to the older youngster in the family.

Five, Fabian, when it came to him, he was locked in a sort of silence. He seemed lost in thought as haunted by all these events and spent most of his time in the library they had shown him. He was disturbed and distressed, they saw it. We couldn't blame him but the siblings knew. Their brother was hiding it. He was hiding from them, from this new environment and his emotions. They knew that because Five had always been like that. A genius in every way but incapable with his own emotions and they didn’t dare to imagine the tornado which was taking place in his body and mind at the moment.

As for them, they had started research. If it had only depended on Diego they would have already broken down the door of Fabian's old apartment 3 days ago to try to find his « father » but Luther had calmed the tempers. First of all, they needed more information on this famous Michael Smith. They didn't know who he was and what he was capable of. But. Do you know how many Smiths are there in America? Millions. Michael Smith? There was always too much. Couldn't find the right one. Yet Diego and Ben had tried and were still trying.

Allison and Luther were busy getting « Fabian to move to another state » at his school. They didn't need strangers to rummage through their stuff, especially now.

Klaus and Vanya were trying to hang out with their found brother. _To try_ , it was the case to say it. They were trying to cheer him up, to snatch a few words and little smiles. But Five, who always calculated everything, acted with the most animal instinct when he was injured. He was all rejection, anger, ardor and aggressiveness. He hardly let them approach him and the rare times he did so, he stayed there, as if in a trance. The gaze vaguely lost and only answered half the time.

On the morning of the 4th day Klaus was in the kitchen with Ben typing on his computer looking for new leads on this Mr. Smith when Diego and Luther entered the room.

« It's already been 3 days Luther. I won't wait any longer »

« We can't just show up like that at his place »

« And why not? He's not a Super Villain, man. He's a big asshole who likes to use his fists and I can handle that» Diego took a nuts from the bowl in front of Klaus to throw it into his mouth.

« We don't know that. He still managed to overpowered Five »

« A Five who no longer knows how to protect himself »

That had hit hard.

Number 1 shook his head and spoke « Ok! We’re going there tonight. Ben are you coming with us? »

Ben nodded and Klaus a little bit surprised looked between his brothers.

« Wait. And me? »

« You stay here with the others. You call us if there is a problem » Luther was about to leave the kitchen, but Klaus didn't want to stay with that decision.

« What? No. I'm coming with you »

« It’s better that you stay with- »

« It wasn't a question Big Boy, I'm coming with you »

« Klaus, we don't know what we're going to find »

« Oh come on! I'm with Diego on this one. I doubt we'll come face to face with a Soviet military network or a bunch of evil tentacle aliens. No offense Ben » Ben shrugged and Klaus continued « and then I've been sober and training for two years. I should be able to take down one man »

Luther hesitated. There was no more room for a leader in this house. They were a team now, but Spaceboy sometimes had a hard time letting go of the old habits and the others too. Faced with his brother's frowning expression, Klaus continued « I need it. I've been trying to understand, to help him for months, I need ... I need to see. I need to know »

Ben, who was still seated at the table, intervened softly « I don't mind staying here »

Diego added « It's fine for me »

Luther pursed his lips but finally said « Alright, alright! You come with us but please be ready »

« Obviously my captain! I'll immediately find the most beautiful spy outfit! » Klaus ran out of the room.

Luther looked at his two other brothers « Was I right? »

**Hargreeves House - 5th Day - 1:25 a.m.**

« Where are they? »

Allison, Vanya and Ben were in the kitchen waiting for their brothers to return. Impossible to sleep for them. It had been a little over 2 hours since they were gone and they had no news. Impatience and worry slowly set in. Suddenly, the sound of a car in the driveway. They had returned. The sound of doors, footsteps, then finally the door. But the crestfallen faces of the 3 arriving didn’t foresee any good.

Luther came in first and gently took off his coat.

Diego was the second who walked straight to the sink. He took off his gloves and rinsed his face with ice water.

Klaus was the last to arrive and he looked like the ghosts he summoned. He was pale, gloomy, and strangely quiet. He sat down in a chair without saying anything. That was worrying.

Allison grew impatient « So? He was there? What did you find? »

Diego, still in front of the sink, started talking as he took off his gloves « You know, I always thought that our motherfucker father was without a doubt the biggest asshole the earth has carried on but every day, I realize how many there are on this earth »

« What did you find? » Diego ignored Vanya's question and continued his monologue, taken in his own thoughts.

« We had this house, we always had enough to eat and Reginald even let us have our personal spaces. He let Allison keep the gifts teen magazines gave her or Klaus have rock band posters he loved. He was a cruel and cold bastard but… »

« At least we had some kind of real home » Luther had put both hands on the back of a chair, gazing lost in front of him.

« He was there? What did you find? » It was Ben's turn to ask the question

Klaus who had remained silent until then, finally answered « Nothing »

The three Hargreeves who stayed at home looked at each other, not sure what was going on. The atmosphere was heavy but Vanya risked it again « What do you mean nothing? »

The answer didn’t come from the 3 Hargreeves who had just arrived but from a voice at the entrance of the room.

« He's gone, isn't he? »

Fabian was there, his arms crossed over his chest. A false indifference on the face. One shoulder resting against the door frame. There was nothing to say. Silence was a very telling answer. He let out a small laugh under his breath « Of course » then he turned and left.

Klaus got up to follow him « Fabian! »

The tension in the room was palpable. Allison put a reassuring hand on Luther's shoulder « What happened? »

**Diego's car - 4th Day - 11:15 p.m.**

Diego looked at his brother in the passenger seat « Did you really have nothing else to put on Klaus? »

« What? It's black »

« Black with fucking glitter. We are supposed to go unnoticed »

« So boring »

Luther who was in the back seat looked at the watch on the dashboard « 11:15 pm. I think we have waited long enough »

« At what time did our little brother say his fake father was coming? » ask Klaus

« Around 11pm. He may already be there, let's go »

The 3 brothers got out of the car and headed towards the building. It was a nasty suburban neighborhood, the kind of place you don't wander around alone at night. The kind of place where all the unwanted people of the society come to hide. Anyone who really has nothing left to lose.

Building number 127, 4th floor, apartment 36.

The building was dark and run down. The stairs smelled of damp, old age and filth. You could hear people screaming through the thin walls and children crying. A real cliché of a bad crime movie. Apartment 36 was at the end of a long corridor. They arrived in front of the door, the small group looked at each other for the last time, then Diego knocked on the door.

Nothing

He knocked a second time

Always nothing.

Diego was making a superhuman effort not to just kick down that bullshit door.

« Maybe you should- »

« If you ask me to knock a third time, it's you that I'm going to hit big monkey man »

« Maybe he hasn't arrived yet? » Klaus walked past his black haired brother and knocked disgracefully on the door

« We just have to wait for him here » Said Luther not very sure of himself.

Diego turned to him « Thinks about it idiot! He will run away if he sees 3 guys in front of his door »

Klaus pushed his two brothers aside by spreading his arms. « Be careful! I'm gonna break down that door! »

Luther put an arm in front of Klaus to stop him « We should go back to the car instead »

Diego lost patience « What are we going to do in the car?! I open this door »

And an argument broke out. Diego who disagreed with Luther, Luther who disagreed with Diego, Klaus who tried to calm everyone down at the same time he tried to kick the door and Luther who prevented it. A mess.

The Hargreeves continued to argue when a small voice rose above the cries« He's no longer here »

The 3 brothers stopped their screams and turned to a young woman in red panties and white crop top standing casually against the frame of one of the hallway doors.

Luther walked slowly towards her « Can you repeat, Please? »

The woman looked him up and down and bit gently her lower lip « He's gone, like… 3 days ago? Maybe? I saw him put stuff in his car and I never saw him again. Nor the kid. He didn't kill him, did he? »

« No! No, he's fine »

« Cool. He's a weird nice kid »

« Did you know this man? »

« Not so well. He was a little talkative asshole. Sometimes, he came to pay me a little visit at home, he paid well »

Luther grimaced « What about Fi-Fabian? »

« Who? »

« The boy »

« Oh. So that's was his name. That bastard left him in the hall all the time like a fucking dirty dog. Sometimes I offered to come and wait at my place for his father to come back, but he always refused. I gave him something to eat from time to time, this kid looked sick with his pale skin »

« Mnh, I see. Thank you for this information »

« Welcome »

Luther was about to turn to leave but the girl spoke again « Hey! Handsome! Come see me when you've finished your shift or the thing you're doing »

« Sorry? »

She walked over to him and ran a finger across his cheek, a sultry smile decorating his face « Don't worry, it’s on me »

Diego and Klaus still near the door but who could hear everything had difficulty stifling their laughter.

Luther was getting redder and redder as he realized what was being offered to him « Huh ... I ... can't ... I ... no thanks »

« What a pity. If you change your mind, they call me Kitty, Miss Velvet Tongue. I'll let you guess why » She blinked before turning around and rolling her hips back into her apartment. Luther turned to his brothers who couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing.

Klaus was holding his brother's arm firmly so as not to fall because of his powerful laugh « Miss Velvet Tongue! Jesus! I think I just found my new best friend »

Diego wiping a little tear from the corner of his eye « Dude! If you saw your face! »

« Shut up ok? Can we focus on more importants things? Diego, open this door »

« Okay okay calm down! You need to relieve some pressure »

« I know someone who could help you » Klaus added behind Luther, imitating the gestures of a cat with his two fists.

« Shut up! »

Diego, always a smile on his lips, got down to opening the door which resisted very little under his expertise. He didn't know his smile would quickly fade.

He slowly opened the door and entered it slowly followed by his brothers. There was no sound, no sign of life, and little light came through half-closed shutters. The place smelled of musty and old trash cans, nothing to do with the sweet smell of a real home.

In the hallway, Klaus recognized the pieces of a broken lamp. Probably the one their brother had used to hit the man who tried to assault him. A shiver ran through him. The boys walked down the hall and Diego motioned them to separate.

Luther took the first room on the right. It was the kitchen barely spacious enough for him. It was old and there were a few closet doors missing. In one corner, there was a closed garbage can and empty liquor bottles. The sink contained dirty plates that were already attracting flies, and the table had become the graveyard of cigarette butts. He started rummaging through the cupboards and opened the fridge. He didn't find much there. A half-eaten box of cereal, leftovers, alcohol and a carton of milk that must have expired. No wonder their little brother is underweight. There was nothing to feed a growing child. However, what worried the big man was what he found in the last drawer he opened. The last in the row, the one that was the furthest away, the most hidden. A gun and lots of hunting knife.

On the left, a bedroom. Room that seemed to be that of the man they were looking for. Diego walked in carefully and made sure there was no one there. It didn't seem like it had been used in days, but most of all, everything was upside down. Someone seemed to have left in a rush. He began an inspection of the premises. Clothes were strewn on the floor, the bed was unmade, there was not much left in the closet. The only interesting thing about this room was the desk that sat in the corner of the room. Above it, a mountain of papers were piled up. Unpaid bills, bills and more bills. Diego hovered over the papers and something caught his eye. The name of the receiver. As many letters were addressed to Michael Smith as many others had different names: _Ray Davis, Joe Miller, David Taylor_ and others. Were there several men? Five had only spoken to them about one man. His « Father» And if…?

Diego began to search frantically in the desk drawers that seemed to have all been emptied in a hurry. But in a well-hidden corner, against the inside of the drawer, something seemed to have escaped the vigilance of the man on the run. A passport. A passport belonging to a certain _Richard Scott_ and between its pages the identity card of _David Taylor_. The problem? It was the pictures. The two pictures matched. Two same faces with some differences yes, but, it was the same man.

They were all the same person.

Shit. This guy had multiple identities. Diego knew, a person doesn't have multiple identities unless they have something awful, ugly and devious to hide and often these people were the worst kind. Diego snapped out of his thoughts when he heard his ghost brother calling them.

« Guys! »

He put what he had found in his pocket and left the room at the same time as Luther left the kitchen.

Klaus walked to the end of the hall as his brothers each entered a room. At the end of it was the living room, if it could be called like that. There wasn’t a lot of furniture. A big TV, an old sofa, a stained rug with probably a bunch of different things and empty beer cans. Klaus had frequented many places like this in another life. They were sadly funny memories. There was something special about this apartment. Something that bothered Klaus. It was the absence of personal belongings. Usually, people hang up pictures or decorate them to make the place more personal, but there was nothing there. It didn't look like a place to live but rather like a passageway.

He started to looking through the few drawers under the TV cabinet without really knowing what he was looking for. Empty packets of cigarettes, porn DVDs and things of no interest. He got up to look around a bit and the small door to the left of the living room caught his attention. Was that the last room in this dilapidated apartment and therefore Five's bedroom? He slowly approached. Why? Because he feared what was behind that door. He lowered the handle, pushed open the door, and his lungs collapsed.

« Guys! » He called. He needed confirmation, to be confirmed that what he was seeing was real.

Klaus heard the footsteps moving in his direction. He was frozen staring at this room. Could you call it a bedroom? It was a closet fitted out like in Harry Potter. The other two men came up behind him and he felt their bodies stiffen like his.

There was hardly room for two standing people in this room. To the right, a bed whose mattress and blanket were so thin you could almost see through it. A cupboard in the wall on the left showed a few household supplies in her exposed stomach. Klaus walked into the room and wanted to turn on the light to see better, but very quickly noticed that there was none. No lamp, no bulb. Just electrical cables hanging from the ceiling. Next to the bed there was a small bedside lamp on the floor, which he turned on but the light was barely enough to see in front of you. Above the bed was a tiny rectangular window that let in a few extra rays of light. Barely enough to breathe.

Diego also came in and looked in the closet. Empty boxes, dirty laundry, a broken vacuum cleaner and an empty suitcase. Above, a few clothes which in view of how they were neatly folded must have belonged to Five. He also found more personal matters. It was nothing. A pen, a notebook and headphones. There was nothing more.

Luther, who was staying in the entrance to the room, his body not allowing him to enter this tiny space, saw something out of the corner of his eye. Something he doesn't like at all.

« That guy was a fucking scumbag »

Luther never swore. Not like this. It was because the object of his attention really deserved it that Luther would let a bad word like that come out of his mouth. The other two brothers turned their heads to where he was pointing them. There, enthroned above an old stool, an iron. THE iron. Facing the bed, terrible and threatening, advocating its superiority and power. Frightful reminds those who saw him every night of what he could and couldn’t do or be. Pounding every time he met his gaze that the person he was, was no longer. Not in this place, not now, not even in his own memories.

Klaus approached the object. It's crazy how a simple object can inspire so much hate and loathing. He took it in his hands and sit down on the hard, cold bed, but his gaze was quickly caught by something the open closet door had been hiding all along. Another terrible truth. Yet another heavy truth that he didn't know if he would have preferred to ignore it.

« There is a chain »

« What? » Luther frowned

Klaus pointed behind the closet door « There is a chain hanging from the radiator »

Diego closed the closet door so he could see what his brother was talking about « Holy shit! What the fuck! »

The chain was long and heavy, at the end, a metal bracelet. A vicious snake, she hide and waited to blindly execute orders and restrict the freedom of whoever she was giving her hand to.

The boys were in shock. They knew they weren't going to find great things coming here, but they didn't know what. They wanted to find this man, find answers to their questions and understand better the situation, but they would only leave with more questions and broken hearts.

Klaus squeezed the object he was holding in his hands « And all this time, he was here, in this fucking hell »

**Hargreeves House - 5th Day - uncertain time**

Big silence.

Nobody wanted to believe it and yet ...

This is the reality that their brother had experienced. This is what for this boy was the normality of his daily life. This is where their brother was during these 2 years of separation. That reality was hard to swallow. First the apocalypse had separated them and now this. Two very distinct painful realities. The first had always seemed hazy and unreal because Five never spoke to them with details about his life in the apocalypse. So they couldn't imagine. But there, a part of them had seen and felt a little bit of their brother life and the idea of what Five had been through only became clearer. Too bright.

Vanya stared at the passport photo Diego had brought back « So… so, in the end, we still don't know who he is? Or why was he holding Five?… »

Diego shook his head « He could be one of the people whose the name I found or someone completely different. I’ll try to find more information. Allison, maybe I will need your contacts »

Allison, her eyes completely vague, didn't answer.

Diego tried again « Ali? »

Allison snapped out of her thoughts « Huh? Yes, yes of course. Sorry, it's just… I was thinking about this chain. Why chain him? The night? But he let him go out during the day »

« Maybe it was to punish him. We know that Five can be difficult sometimes » Luther replied.

« Are you justifying him? » Diego raised his voice

« No! Not at all! I’m just trying to understand » Luther calmed him down

« Do you think he knew about his powers? » Ben said frowning

« If he knew then he also knew that a chain is useless against Five but against Fabian… » Vanya still held the passport firmly in her hand.

Diego approached the table and placed the identity card firmly in the center of it which he pointed with his finger « I don't know what this son of a bitch knew or not but what I know is we're going to track him down, we're going to find him… »

The card suddenly flew to crash into the ceiling. All eyes were fixed on the card then turned to Vanya whose hair floated gently and eyes were white « and we will make sure he never comes near Five again »

* * *

The door to Fabian's room almost closed on Klaus who barely caught it and entered after the boy.

« Fabi… »

The younger started desperately back and forth around the room « No! No, shut up! »

« Let me explain it to you »

« Explain me what ?! Explain me that he's gone? Explain me that you haven't found any sign of him? »

« Well, yes, but it's more complicated than that. You see- »

« You know what? Fuck him! »

Klaus was surprised. All this time, Fabian had never insulted his father. Not once, even knowing what he was doing to him, he had ever insulted him. There was a first time for everything but Fabian didn’t stop there.

« Fuck him and the whole damn place that looked more like a prison than anything else »

« Yeah, you're right! Fuck him »

« He can go fuck himself after all those times he made me wait in the cold only because he didn't want to give me a fucking key! »

« Yeah! »

« I don't care! I don't give a shit anymore! You know why? »

« I'm listening to you »

« Because I'm a fucking genius and he never gave a damn about me »

« Yes you are, Big Brain! »

« Because I'm the best in almost everything. History, languages, sport and mathematics! Damn, these bastards didn’t are half good as me. My teacher even said that I had a Ph.D level and she told my father to take me to have my skills assessed. Do you know what he did? »

« I guess nothing very nice »

« He refused because it pissed him off to sign a piece of paper! I could have gone to University, Klaus! I could have been one of the youngest academics in this country! What a piece of shit! »

« A massive piece! »

« This was the only time I have asked for something. The only one ! I didn't even ask for his help when I had to treat wounds in my back that I couldn't reach »

« He's a bastard »

« I never said anything, I never complained even when he hit me so hard I couldn't move. I said nothing because I was trying to be strong »

« And you are »

« I could have denounced him so many times but I never did it because I am someone loyal to my family »

« The most loyal »

« I always got by on my own even when he went days without leaving anything, no money, no food, or even telling me where he was going and if he was going to come back, nothing. I found a way. You don't find smarter than me! »

« The most resourceful guy I know »

Fabian had stopped his hellish march. The gaze to the ground, clenched jaw, wet eyes and a clenched fist that supported every word he said.

« I'm awesome and he's never seen it »

« You're fucking awesome »

« I'm incredibly smart »

« A little genius »

« I am a trustworthy person »

« So faithful »

Fabian looked at Klaus with teary eyes and a sad smile on his lips « I'm the son that any father would have dreamed have »

Klaus paused for a moment. He saw his brother like he had never seen him before. In the process of breaking. Piece by piece, layer after layer, he fell miserably to the ground. Sadness, incomprehension and anger had finished a life already too tortured and there, after a whole life, he was breaking.

« All stay-at-home moms would be crazy with jealousy » Klaus replied with the same sad smile.

This time, Fabian paused. He opened and closed his mouth several times. The words were struggling to come out now and it showed.

« I’m…a good person »

The words were shaking. Hesitant. They looked like a question, not a statement.

« You are »

Fabian was on the verge of tears. He squeezed the front of his sweater with one hand in an attempt to stabilize him. In his world, everything was a perpetual chain of unfortunate events. In order not to get carried away, he had to anchor himself firmly to the ground. Every morning when he opened his eyes and every night when he closed them. He had to sink a little more to the ground so as not to get carried away. That hand was nothing, but it was the only thing right now that gave him any semblance of stabilization. But it was just a bandage over the crack of a water dam about to break.

« I’m .... I’m… still here »

« You are »

But this time the dam broke.

It shattered so violently that it made him groan in pain, that his cheeks were covered with tears in a split second. He had never looked so young and so lost. Klaus had never seen such desolation in anyone. He never thought he would see such distress in the eyes of one of his brothers. From THIS brother.

« So why?…why didn't he even try to find me? »

Klaus didn't know if this question came from Five or Fabian. Or was it a mixture of the two of them. A question to both their own father and to the surrogate father he had for 2 years. It was a question full of bitterness and anger. A question mark deeply rooted in the pain of a life of loneliness.

_Is someone looking for me?_ This was arguably what Five had been asking himself for 40 years in the apocalypse.

_Does anyone care about me?_ It was probably what Fabian had been asking himself for 2 years.

Klaus didn't think about it any longer. He crossed the room and took the boy in his arms. As strong as he could and for as long as it took. This young boy, this old soul in his arms was crying, sobbing, groaning as his shaking arms wrapped him in return. Desperately clinging to him. His whole body was shaking and his legs were starting to weaken. Klaus only squeezed him tighter as one hand was resting on the back of his little older brother's neck, his face buried in the crook of his neck and the other around his shoulders.

They both slipped to the ground, no longer supporting the weight of the events. And Klaus held him there, not loosening his grip even an inch. Not wanting to let him go under any circumstances. He wasn't their father, he wasn't the Other Father, he was just one of his siblings he didn't know existed. He couldn't give him the answer he was looking for, but he could give him their answers. The answer of his siblings to his questions.

Klaus, a lonely tear on his cheek, whispered « Us. We were looking for you. »


	9. Chapter 9

Klaus didn't know how long Fabian had been in his arms. Maybe minutes or maybe hours but he hadn't moved an inch. At one point the boy panicked a little, thinking that now that his father was gone, Klaus and his siblings were going to hand him over to social services, that he was going to have to leave and end up in an orphanage or foster family. It was then that the other family members arrived. Vanya and Allison had taken over and reassured him of his fate within the Hargreeves mansion. Explaining to him that he could stay there, that they would take care of everything and that he no longer had to worry.

Fabian was smart, he knew things couldn't be that simple in a case like his, but for now he had decided to not ask anything. To ignore the questions in his head and just get carried away by playing fool.

Klaus knew it, the others knew it but everyone was glad he didn't ask more questions.

The Hargreeves had a mission and they had to prepare for it.

**First** : They had to find "Smith" and settle his score.

 **Second** : They had to try to restore the memory, and gently, to their 5th brother.

 **Third** : Don't leave Fabian/Five alone.

For this last point the Hargreeves had shared the days. Being numerous, they could easily organize themselves so that at least one of them stayed with Five at all times. During these moments alone with the boy they’d try to gently remind him of his old life through memories, anecdotes, sounds and anything that could come near or far to memories. At the same time, they would do their best to find information about "The Father".

They had determined an running order and not being the original type, they had decided to follow their respective number and therefore start with Number 1.

**1 + 2,5**

It was now 2 a.m. and Luther couldn't sleep. He felt guilty for not having been able to spend time with a member of his family. The whole day had been awkward. Luther could not say otherwise. He and Five had never been very close and that shows. He hadn't known what to do with his brother. Should he take him to the park? No, he was too old for that. So watch a movie? He didn't even know how the TV worked. Talk about school? No, it's true, he was not going anymore. He didn't know what to do, but finally, Fabian, who looked as uncomfortable as he did, relieved them both by spending his day reading and writing who knows what on a notepad. They had eaten by exchanging a few words and the boy had gone up to bed early. But Luther couldn't sleep.

Luther sighed and got up to get something to snack in the kitchen. He crossed the halls nonchalantly and gently so as not to wake his sleeping brothers. As he passed in front of the window that looked out onto the garden, something caught his attention « But what the… »

He hurried down the stairs and yanked the garden door open « Fabian? »

No answer.

He started to approach the body lying on the ground with a rapid step « FABIAN? »

No answer.

Luther was no longer walking, he was running. He arrived near the boy who had his eyes closed, he didn’t move.

« FIVE! » He knelt down beside him and took his arm.

The boy jumped and opened his eyes as he took his headphones off his ears « Luther? What are you doing here? »

Luther breathed in relief « What am I doing here? What are YOU doing outside lying on the ground at 2am? »

Fabian seemed uncomfortable, he pointed to the sky « The moon »

Luther frowned and he looked towards the one who was his only companion for 4 years « What's wrong with the moon? »

« I just wanted to look at it. I wanted to look at the sky » Fabian picked up the phone Allison had given him and turned off the music.

The older one pulled back and looked at his hands a little embarrassed « Oh… »

Fabian took his things and stood up « I think I'll go inside »

« No! No wait. Sorry. I was only surprised. I was going down to the kitchen and I saw you lying there, it kinda freaked me out. You can stay »

Fabian hesitated a few moments before sitting down on the floor. Luther at his side tried to start the conversation « You know, there is a window in your room, you could have looked at the stars from there »

« No kidding! I hadn't realized it! » said Fabian in a sarcastic tone before softening « It's just… It's nice to be able to do it without feeling locked in » and Fabian raised his head to the sky.

Looking at the stars had most certainly been the only escape the boy had during his nights when he was locked and tied up. From his little window, he surely couldn't see much compared to now.

Luther sighed and lay down on the ground, putting both hands behind his head « I lived there »

A little confused the younger asked « Where? »

« Up there. On the moon »

« Excuse me? »

« During 4 years. I took samples and analyzed things which turned out to be useless in the end »

« Hold on. Are you serious? »

« Yeah, unfortunately »

« Were you an astronaut? »

« In a way, yes »

Fabian turned his head towards the moon to lie down again on the ground, his two hands on his stomach « Cool… How was it up there? »

SpaceBoy never thought he would hear Number 5 say « _Cool_ » and it was indeed out of his mouth. A little pride was born in Luther.

« At first it was amazing. You feel important, you are one of the only living beings to see the earth in its entirety and you feel like you are serving a good cause. But time passes and you begin to question your usefulness. Without you, earth continues to spinning around. You are alone, on an entire planet, with no one to talk to or who listens to you. You do a job for an invisible person and suddenly you start to question your own existence »

« Wow. Me, who just wanted to know if it was cold… »

Luther let out a little laugh « Yes, it's cold »

« So I think I prefer to stay and watch it from here »

« You right. Why did you come here to look at the sky? »

« Because I can. I don't get much sleep so I spent most of my nights in the apartment looking from my little window but could only see a tiny bit of the moon. Watching this immensity from this tiny space made me claustrophobic »

« In principle, looking at the stars it’s something liberating »

« Not when you're tied up in a 2x2 room. Knowing that there is space and emptiness outside and that you can’t access it makes you feel the confinement even more strongly »

« Sorry that you have never been able to see it until now »

« It's not your fault. That's why I enjoy to be out there and looking at the moon in its entirety without feeling imprisoned »

They both looked at the sky in silence before Fabian asked a question

« Did you miss people? »

« Oh yes! I had never had many friends. My entourage consisted mainly of my brothers and sisters, my mother, our butler and my father. But until I was isolated up there, I never realized how much I missed my family and people. Hear people talking, the sounds of traffic, the barking dogs, the neighbor greeting you when you leave for work in the morning. I hadn't realized how important it was »

« I haven't been isolated for so long but… I think I understand how you felt. My dad didn't want me to talk to anyone, to have no friends so… I spent most of my time alone. When I was in this room- »

« Closet » Luther whispered

« - and that I was looking outside and hearing the world keep spinning… It was suddenly like my nightmares. A lonely, silent and lifeless world that I was stuck in but there everything was concentrated in one room. It was stifling »

« What your father was doing was not right. Cutting you off like that from the world without taking your needs into account was bad. No one deserves this. No living being should ever feel lonely in a world so full of people »

They stayed there a few minutes, both lost in their thoughts. Luther had never shared his experience with Five, at the same time, it wasn't like he had the time to but it was nice to be able to speak with someone who understand.

« There is something I would like to do » said Fabian

* * *

They were looking in the park for 1 hour now but without success and Luther had to admit it, he was starting to tire. He had looked everywhere: Under the benches, behind the bushes, on the trees and nothing. He even took a tin of tuna with him but nothing.

It was late or early depends on how you see things, it was time to go home. He walked over to where he had seen Fabian a few minutes ago. The boy was there, crouched on the ground between a bush and a trash can.

« Hey! I don't think we're gonna find him tonight. It would be better if we go home and come back tomorrow… oh… » Luther, arriving at Fabian's side, saw what the boy was gently stroking. A black and white cat with a dirty matted coat, lay there, lifeless.

« He must have been dead not long ago »

« Is this the one you were looking for? »

« Yes ... it's not fair… » Fabian, expressionless, continued to stroke the head of the little dead animal « He didn't deserve to die like that »

« It’s not your fault »

« I'm not saying I had something to do with it, just that… I don't know. I could have been there. He was… a friend? »

« Don't blame yourself »

« People were assholes to him. As if he had chosen that life. They would push him away, yelled at him or hit him even when he hadn't done anything wrong. But he was a sadist because he always came back to humans. He continued to trust me ... and despite that, he still died alone »

« I'm sure you gave him some comfort » Luther said, trying to comfort the boy on the floor. This situation gave him a feeling of déjà vu, it reminded him of an old story from their childhood « When we were kids with my siblings we started to feed and play with an old stray dog who always passed by the neighborhood. By doing it, the dog came back to us every day, until our father discovered it. He kicked off the dog with his canes and yelled at us for bringing a " _Filthy, disgusting and dirty beast into the compound of his property_ " and he punished us. After that, none of us wanted to approach the dog anymore, by fear of being punished again, but the dog came back anyway. Then one day, the dog was dead in a small piece of grass in the garden »

« Why are you telling me that? »

« Because you did exactly what our brother did, you gave him comfort, a little hope and care. You were nice. I wondered why this dog kept coming after he was mistreated and ignored and especially why he had chosen to die there. What we didn't know was that our brother, the one you don't know, had continued to take care of him in secret. It might not have been much, it was not every day but for this animal it was huge. I’m sure that both my brother and you have brought them a little kindness in this world of bullies and that is something admirable »

Fabian continued to stroke the head of the cat at his feet. Then he sighed and said in a low whisper « Poor Roxy »

Did he hear correctly? Luther could not prevent a movement of surprise « What did you say? »

Roxy. This is what he heard, but, it was something quite common for an animal, right? It wasn't that strange, but what was strange was that this name was the name his siblings had given the dog.

« Nothing » The younger didn't seem aware of his words, he didn't seem to have noticed the surprise in Luther. He started digging the dirt next to the animal's body « Damn. I’d have preferred to bury him under flowers, at least his body would have been used to bring something beautiful to life »

Luther, still surprised, had not moved and was looking at Fabian. He walked over to him and crouched down beside him to help him dig in the dirt.

« He was lucky to meet you »

* * *

The first thing Klaus did when he came home at night was to shout his frustration at whoever would listen, that is, Luther and Fabian who were building a model rocket in the living room « What a fucking awful day! This morning an asshole spilled his coffee on me in the bus, then at my lunch break a guy almost kill me with his horrible motorbike of a terrible color while I was crossing at the green light and there I just walked on the poop of the neighbor's dog! What the fuck ?! »

Luther and Fabian looked at each other and let out a small laugh before the taller one stood up « Now that you're here, I'll go »

Klaus looked at his brother curiously « Where are you going? »

« I have to go to work to take some flowers »

« Flowers? And why? »

« Yeah, hum… a coworker told me they still have some tulips that no one wants so I'm going to get some to take them to… a friend? » Luther finished putting on his jacket and looked at Fabian out of the corner of his eye. He smiled shyly at him and returned his smile.

Klaus threw his bag on the ground and looked at his little brother, opening his arms « Well! We have to believe that tonight it will be you and me my favorite bookworm »

Fabian stood up « No, it will be just you. I'm going with Luther »

Klaus and Luther said surprised at the same time « Really? »

Fabian who was starting to put on his jacket looked at the tallest Hargreeves « Can't I? »

Luther hastened to answer « Yeah, of course! You can wait for me in the car tiny buddy »

Fabian started to leave the house but turned back to Luther « Call me one more time like that and I'll make us have an accident » Then he left.

Klaus brought a hand to his heart with a tender look on his face « Did you hear that? It was just like our lost demonic brother. So adorable! » He picked up his bag from the floor before heading to the bedrooms but Luther stopped him with a question.

« Klaus »

« Yes hermano? »

« Do you remember the stray dog we picked up when we were kids? »

« Mmh…Yeah »

« Do you remember his name? »

Klaus put two fingers under his chin and rolled his eyes in a pose of thought « Was something like Honey? Mary? Rosie? No! Roxy! We called him or her Roxy! Why? »

Luther thought for a few seconds before heading for the door « That's what I thought ... I'll tell you later » and he went out to join his little older brother in the car.

**2 + 2,5**

When Diego woke up this morning, it took a few seconds before remembering that he had slept in his old room at the academy.

Last night Luther told them a funny story. According to his half-ape brother, Fabian or rather Five would be unconsciously reminded of something. The name of the dog they had found when they were young. It was kind of encouraging, it meant that the memories of Five were slowly re-surfacing but much of it was still somewhere, stuck, locked in that « know-all » head.

For now, the research of the asshole who had kept their brother locked up for 2 years had came to nothing. This man wanted to stay hidden and he had apparently done everything to go unnoticed and he had succeeded brilliantly. They were looking one by one the identities he had created and he and his brothers were watching the old apartment he had occupied with his so-called son but nothing ... this man seemed to have evaporated but something deep down Diego was bothering him. There was something unclear. He kept their brother with him for 2 years and then just abandoned him? It didn't make sense. It was for this same reason that he and his siblings decided not to leave him alone.

Today it was his turn to stay at the mansion. He got up, he went down to the kitchen to prepare something to eat which he put on the table before going back up to his room to change. On his return Fabian was there, sitting quietly with the school books that Ben had provided. Homework? It was certainly not because they thought Fabian needed it, but mostly to give the boy some semblance of normality and stability within the house. It was still weird to see their disappeared brother at home and it was even more weird to see him act in accordance with his physical age. Don't groan because people said he was "young" because he thought he was, talk about his old school like something normal or say coffee was "disgusting"

It was starting to get hotter and hotter and this afternoon Diego decided to train outside. Soon the long sleeves would be too much in this house, but for now they could live with it.

He took out some equipment of their old training room, warmed up a bit before placing some targets to throw his knives. He was halfway through training when he heard someone come out into the garden.

« What are you doing? » Fabian had his hands in his pockets and was looking at Diego from a distance.

« Can’t you see it? »

« I’d say that either you work in a circus, which I didn't know, or you think you are in a fun fair and you are trying to win a prize that doesn’t exist »

« Very funny! I train »

« For what? I thought you were giving self defense lessons or whatever »

« Yes, this is my job but this is more than that »

« Weirdo » Fabian approached while Diego continued to throw knives, not missing a target « You're good »

« I never miss » Diego replied with a confident smile.

« Pretentious » Fabian sat down on the floor. Apparently he was planning on staying there during his training. Diego was watching the boy out of the corner of his eye. Silent, still, watching him throw down his weapons like it was the first time when it was certainly the 1000x of his life that he saw it. Then something he had said himself crossed his mind.

« _A Five who no longer knows how to defend himself »_

His gaze fell again on the boy sitting on the floor, his sleeves rolled up slightly, revealing some of his scars. He felt a spike of anger. Diego would never admit it, but Five had always been a role model when they were kids. He had always admired his fighting skills. He was quick, confident, tough and cunning. After his return, all of his abilities were only more impressive. The first time he'd seen him fight, God… he felt so small. This 5th brother had never been physically strong but his brain compensate his lack of muscles. Even as a child, however he faced men 2x his size, he still managed to get by by using his powers and knowledge wisely. It was always fascinating to watch him fight. But today something made him feel sick at the idea. Knowing and imagining that in those 2 years he was found more than once defenseless in front of someone who, other time, would not have stood up to him… it made him sick.

Lost in thought, Diego missed his target.

« I thought you never missed » Fabian said with a sarcastic smile on his lips.

Diego moved closer to the target in order to pick up his knives « Shut Up »

He picked up the one on the ground. He inspected it a few seconds before pointing it at Fabian « Do you want to try? »

Fabian raised an eyebrow «Try what? Throwing knives? »

« Yeah. That and I can train you a bit. You know, to fight and all that…»

« It will not be a training then but rather a beginner's class »

« Okay with me. So? »

Fabian thought for a few seconds, got up and dusted off his pants « Ok. It's not like I had better things to do anyway »

Diego smiles « Go change yourself. We’ll make of you a real warrior »

Fabian returned a few minutes later with more comfortable clothes. First Diego showed him how to hold the knives, how to use them, how to handle them and finally to throw them. The boy seemed focused but ended up with a few cuts on his hands, but nothing too serious. After a good hour in front of the targets, he decided it was time to move on. He started with the basics of hand-to-hand combat. Where to place your body, feet and hands. What to spot and how to move. It didn't take long for Fabian to figure out exactly how to move his body. And it took even less time to successfully stand up to Diego in little fight.

Memory is complex and complicated to understand. A hypothesis says that the body itself has a memory and the older one could only support this theory by seeing his amnesic little older brother succeed in mastering complex movements after only a few hours of training. His head certainly didn't remember it, but his body remembered it extremely well.

* * *

Diego held the youngest's arm in order to twist and strangle him from behind. Fabian groaned lightly and seemed to have difficulty freeing himself.

Diego smiles « So are we stuck little one? Turn your head to the side and grab my arm with both hands. Bend over staying to one side and there- » He didn't take the boy any more to understand. Diego didn’t have time to finish his explanation as his brother gave him a nudge in the stomach and got out of his grip by passing under his arm. The arm still held by his brother, he kicked him in the back of the knee which made him rock forward.

« Shit, boy! Well done! »

« Thank you! Have to believe that I'm good at that » said Fabian, panting softly.

Diego still one knee on the ground « Yeah, me too » He spun around still on the ground and brushed the right foot of the boy still standing. Caught off guard the boy fell sideways but managed to cushion his fall with both hands.

Diego, a smile on his lips, sat down on the ground while Fabian stood up slowly, grimacing.

« Never believe that you are smarter than your opponent. Did you hurt yourself? »

Fabian also sat down on the ground, not very happy « No, I'm fine »

Number 2 then extended his hand « No hard feelings bro »

The boy looked at the outstretched hand and took it with a small sideways smile « No hard feelings »

« I hope it can help you if you find yourself in a dangerous situation again »

Fabian frowned « Again? »

Diego shrugged « Yeah, you never know. It can still happen to you »

The boy widened his eyes a little, his voice a little annoyed « Thank you but I sincerely hope that this will not happen again »

« You know it can happen faster than we think, without realizing it »

« I'm not the type to just let this happen »

« Are you sure about that? » It was a thoughtless, stupid question. One of those that come out of your mouth before you even have time to think about it. A question that you know in advance that you will regret.

« I'm not as weak as you seem to think »

Diego’s tone became drier « I didn't mean that. I'm just saying it would have served you well before »

The boy straightened up and waited a few seconds before answering « I tried at first »

Diego knew very well who he was talking about « You mean with your- »

“Yes, I mean with my dad. You mustn’t believe that I let him hit me like a punching bag every day without reacting » The tone of voice of their Number 5 who had been annoyed until now took on a more severe tinge.

« That's not what I said… » He also stood up to be in front of Fabian.

« After a while I just realized that it was better like that »

Number 2 didn't like what he heard and felt a small flame set on the fuse of the constant bomb that lived in his chest « Wait « _better like that?_ » and since when is it better to get hit rather than trying to defend yourself? »

« Since it's either getting killed by your angry fucking father, or ending up in a lousy foster family you have no connection with » Anger was starting to mount.

« You could also have left. Why didn't you do it? »

Fabian chuckled « Go? And where? Do you think it was that easy? That I just had to take the first flight to one of my houses in Hawaii? »

And the flame began to consume the wick. Yes. Diego had believed it when he was a kid. He had believed and hated this idea. The idea that his brother had been selfish enough to abandon them to their misery and go somewhere where he would be better off without them. Little Diego had resented him, he had hated him when he imagined him somewhere on this earth enjoying the good weather alone, in the sun, without obligation, with hot sand under his feet. The reality had been cruel and twice. He knew it now, but little Diego was still there, lighting incendiary wicks, hurt by a thought he had long ago believed to be the truth.

« You can always get away when you really want to! »

« Easy to say! Do you really think this is what I wanted? Do you think I liked it? »

Diego had made a mistake. He knew it. His anger had always been strong, too strong. The wick was so short and the flame was halfway now.

« I dunno. Part of you must be maso to have put up with living with a person who burnt your fucking arm »

There was a moment of silence. Big and heavy silence « You're a bastard » and Fabian headed for the door.

« Where do you think you're going? Stay here »

Fabian turned around « Oh you're giving me orders now! I remind you that you are absolutely nobody to me to allow you to give me orders! "

_You are absolutely nobody to me_

« I'm just trying to help you because I know what it's like to have an asshole father! »

« We can see it, you react exactly like mine »

And the wick ends up being consumed.

« What did you say? » Diego felt the instant the bomb exploded and his body was propelled forward, before he even had time to think about it.

Fabian took a few steps back, surprised by the sudden movement of his interlocutor. This one had a fierce look « I'm only trying to help you because we are worried about you little shit »

« Well stop because, great news, apparently I love being mistreated! » Fabian turned to leave but Diego wasn't going to let him. Not until the flames of anger and guilt ceased to burn inside his heart. He grabbed the arm of the boy.

« Stay here »

« Don’t touch me! »

« No! You stay there! We have to talk! »

« I'm telling you to fuck off! »

« I just want to talk! »

« S-stop it! Leave me! »

« Damn, listen to me! »

« Let me go! »

« No! »

« Let-let go of me! »

« Can you stop! »

« Please, let me go… »

He saw the fear slowly rise in his brother's eyes and Diego felt the guilt. This is not what he wanted and Diego raised the other arm. Big mistake. Terrible mistake. He just wanted to calm him down, reassure him, make a silent promise that his intentions weren't to hurt him. But his gesture was very badly interpreted.

Then everything slowed down. Fabian's backward movement, his eyes widening, his fists rising in front of him in a gesture of protection. Blue. The inevitable light that emanated from it. Diego closed his eyes for a second, second during which he heard the characteristic _Woosh_ of Five's power. That particular sound his brother made when he disappeared. When he opened his eyes, the boy was no longer in front of him but he heard something crash to the ground behind him.

« What…what the… » 

Diego turned around quickly and Fabian was half lying on the ground, he got up slowly, looking at his hands with a panicked look. He looked up in panic at him as if searching for an answer, an answer he could and couldn't provide. He quickly moved forward to crouch down towards the boy still on the ground.

« Shit ... Are you ok? »

« That I ... fuck what the hell happened. I… I… how » His breathing was starting to stir, his hands were shaking as well as the rest of his body, he looked completely disoriented and lost. Diego got even closer and tried to put a hand on Fabian's leg.

« Don’t touch me ! » Fabian pulled back violently, fleeing the contact.

« S-s-sorry I just wanna… I'm not going t-to hurt you. It wi-will be fine »

« What the fuck happened?! »

« I… listen, let's go ins-s-side » Diego offered his hand to pick up the boy, but the boy completely ignored it and continued to ramble on what had just happened.

« How ... how ... damn! What was that?! »

« Calm down »

Fabian stood up suddenly « I'm not going to calm down! I hallucinated. I hallucinated haven't I? I fainted? »

« No! Yes! I... ! Let's talk inside »

« Fuck! What is happening?! »

« Stop panicking! I will… I… I will explain to you- » Diego could not finish and the door which gave to the garden opened revealing his flamboyant brother in feathered pants.

« Hello boys! What are you- OLÉ! » Klaus didn’t have time to finish his sentence that he was pushed around by a Fabian who hastened to enter the mansion. Klaus looked at the back of the boy who was walking away then turned to Diego « Is he okay? What's happened? »

Diego ran a hand nervously through his hair before walking towards Klaus « He jumped Klaus »

« What? Like… what? »

« He jumped. There! Right in front of me! »

« Did he do it on purpose? »

« No! He didn't do it on purpose but he realized it and he freaked out »

« Ow shit… What did you tell him? »

« I didn't say anything, luckily I didn't have time »

« Why did he jump? »

« Because I’m an idiot »

* * *

Allison had arrived late last night and she had felt the tension in the house. Apparently there had been a problem between Diego and Fabian but she had to wait until this morning to have the end of the story.

Sitting at the kitchen table, coffee in hand, she listened to her brother with the knives tell her about the events of the day before yesterday.

« Have you been able to talk to him? » She couldn't deny it, she was a little worried.

« He avoided me all day yesterday »

« You should go talk to him before you go. He must have misinterpreted your gesture, he must have thought you were going to ... hit him. For the jump we will have to find what to say »

« I should apologize »

« No need to »

The two Hargreeves turned their heads to Fabian who was walking slowly into the kitchen. God. Their brother was as discreet as a cat.

Diego seemed uncomfortable and was swinging between his two feet. He wanted to say something but the words barely came out « I ... huh ... listen man. I'm sorry for the other day »

« I said you didn't have to apologize. You didn't mean to scare me, I got it. Don't worry, I'm fine, better. And for the other thing…. »

Allison and Diego looked at each other. Anxious about what their brother was going to say about the jump. Ready to find an excuse, a story, the altered truth or at worst, rumor him.

« … I have absences. It happens to me sometimes especially in times of stress. My consciousness is blocked and I forget a few seconds of my existence or I hallucinate a little. So it's not your fault. I'm fine »

Diego was relieved that he didn't have to find an excuse or a lie to tell but his heart was aching. He couldn't leave without saying what was weighing on his heart « I was an asshole, okay? I'm sorry, I assure you that all I wanted was to help you and teach you how to throw those damn knives because it's fun and… sometimes useful »

Fabian nodded and quickly looked at Diego « Fine »

Diego sighed and took his jacket before take one last look at his sister « Good! I’m leaving. See you later »

Before being able to leave the kitchen, Fabian called him out « Diego! »

« Yeah? »

« It was fun… »

Diego smiled and left

Allison, a big smile on her face moved towards the latest arrival « So! Today, it's you and me and we are also going to have so much fun! »

« Why do I have a bad feeling? »

**3 + 2,5**

Allison parked the car and Fabian turned to her « The mall? »

« Yeah, the mall! We're going to buy you some clothes »

« Why? I already have everything I need »

« And that's a lie » Allison stopped the car and got out at the same time as Fabian « You can't just have the clothes I brought you and Klaus' old stuff »

They started to walk towards the entrance while Fabian disagreed « I don't agree, I'm fine with that »

Allison stopped and looked him up and down « I'm telling you no. Whether you like it or not, today we are remaking your wardrobe » She walked happily towards the entrance again.

Fabian rolled his eyes « It's going to be a long day » and trotted behind the curly girl.

The torture began. Fabian had never been worn fashion. Having the latest trendy shoes or designer clothes was not important to him. And it wasn't like his father was asking his opinion about it. He was content to bring him from time to time second hand clothes without asking his opinion. There, with Allison, things were very different. Before even entering the first store, she asked him his favorite color. She laughed when he said gray, he couldn't see why gray was funny. She also asked what he liked or disliked, his style, what kind of fabric he preferred and quite frankly, he didn't know. Then the fittings and the shops followed one another. Pants, sweaters, shoes and even underwears. Allison paraded him like a doll, scrutinizing every detail, asking the sales staff for another size or color. At first he was reluctant. He had railed and was not motivated at all. He was content to take the more sober things he saw or let the brunette choose for him. But in the end, he got into it. He couldn’t deny it, it was pleasant. It was nice to be able to choose, to give your opinion, to have something new and that you like. It was nice.

Allison saw the change in attitude and it pleased her. See his little big brother take a little care of him and for once not be satisfied with what we want to give him. In the apocalypse he certainly had more to think about than to take care of himself.

Eat, drink, shelter.

These were the watchwords. With his torturer father, it couldn’t be better. There was no room for self-care. There was neither the place, nor the time, nor the desire. To see him take the time to look at himself, to choose, to take care of himself without it being functional or practical, without it being out of spite or simply because the universe had nothing better to offer, it warmed her heart and gave her a sense of tranquility, like everything was fine. But she knew that was still far from being the case.

Did they come out of the 10th? 25th? 100th? shop, their hands full of bags, Allison had already had to make a quick trip into the car to drop a few bags.

« We still need a few things and we'll be done »

« You know I don't need more. There is already enough stuff. And then, you're paying for everything and that- »

Allison silenced him before he even had time to finish « Tututut! My money, I do what I want with it. So limit yourself to saying if you like it or not »

Fabian rolled his eyes and they continued their way down the large hallway of this huge shopping center.

« You are a singer, is that it? » The question surprised Number 3. It was rare for Fabian and more for Five to start a conversation. Mostly a normal conversation.

« Almost. I'm an actress »

« Oh. Sorry, I didn't watch much TV or movies at home »

« Don’t worry. It feels good when you still meet people who don't know who you are »

« It must be weird that all the people around you know who you are when you don't know them »

« Especially when you don't even know yourself who you are » Allison whispered, looking out of the corner of her eye at the boy.

« What? »

« Nothing! You're right. You never really get used to it. The looks, the whispers, the judgment as people know your face but not the real you »

« It can't be easy. But it has these good sides, almost all the stores we left have given you gifts » Fabian lifted the little extra bags he had had before leaving the stores.

The young woman laughs softly « It's my siblings who are happy. I have everything I need so all these things I always end up giving to them. I think I remade the whole Vanya’s wardrobe like that »

Then Fabian, Five, did something completely unexpected. Unexpected and spontaneous. Something that made Allison's heart bounce.

« Hey did you see that? » Fabian took her hand to pull her in front of a watchmaking's window. He was explaining something to her about a watch that was there but she heard nothing. Too focused on the hand that was still holding hers as if it was the most normal thing in the world. She felt his warmth, his firmness, his gentleness. She looked up into his face to see the boy's enthusiastic little smile as he explained « who know what » about the watchmaker. He hadn't noticed, he didn't realize that her hand was still in his and it certainly wasn't her who was going to withdraw it.

« It's pretty crazy, don't you think? » Fabian turn to her and she snapped out of her thoughts.

« Huh… yeah. Sorry, what? » But his gaze couldn't tear away from their hands.

Fabian followed the lost gaze of the woman and suddenly realized where his hand was all this time. He pulled it out quickly, embarrassed and nervous « I didn’t want to… »

« No, no, it's ok. Don't worry » Allison finished with a sad look.

« Are you alright? »

« Yes, you just made me think of my daughter »

« Klaus told me you only have shared custody, right? »

« Yeah. Before I could never see her so I guess it's better now… » She continued to look at the watch her brother had pointed and her heart only sank more when she heard him again.

« I've always wondered what it was like to have a mother »

There was no mother in this story, she knew that. When they were kids they had Grace who had been a good mother despite being a robot but the boy in front of her hadn't been so lucky and right now he was talking about a mother who did more than be invisible, she didn’t exist.

« My father never wanted to talk to me about her. He said she was a bitch and that she wasn't worth it. I tell myself that she was surely too intelligent for that »

« What do you mean? »

« Sometimes I imagined her as a super smart woman who made a mistake and found herself pregnant with the kid of a worthless man and decided to leave. I imagine her super busy in a science lab or in a hospital dealing with complex cases. When I imagine her like that, I tell myself that she was totally right to leave and leave the miserable life that was looming with my father. But I can't help it but wonder what it would have been like to have her by my side »

A mother and her little boy walked by, holding hands. The little boy was laughing as his mother looked at him with tender eyes.

« Does she think of me every now and then? Do I look like her? Could I have talked with her about books I liked or difficult equations? Would she have protected me from… him? Maybe or maybe not. I would surely never know and I'm not sure I want to know either »

Fabian looked Allison straight in the eyes, the nervousness gone leaving only a sweet nostalgia.

« Your daughter is lucky to have you. To have someone who is sad not to have her by her side, someone who would kill for a few more minutes with her, who thinks of her when she is not there, who simply loves her »

Allison couldn't help the small tear that rolled down her cheek and Fabian seemed to panic « Oh no! I'm sorry I didn't mean… »

But Allison put a hand on his cheek « I don't know what your mother would have done, said or felt but I can tell you if I were your mother I would be so proud of you » At these words, Fabian took a deep breath that got stuck in his throat. Allison withdrew her hand and turned her gaze to the window, pointing at the watch that had made her brother speak « Is that one that you like? Good. » Then she pushed open the door of the watchmaking.

Fabian raised both hands to stop her but the woman was little faster « What? No, Allison! I wasn't saying that for you to buy it! » And he walked into the store after her.

* * *

« Phew! I am tired! I think this time we have it all » Allison said, almost throwing herself onto the bench next to the grand central stairs. Fabian sat down next to her looking at the thin watch that now adorned his wrist and she asked « Do you want anything else? »

« No! Absolutely not! I really have everything, even more. Thank you Ali »

Allison smiles at this « So I think we can take it all and go »

Fabian stood up « I'm just going to go to the bathroom before we left » The young woman nodded and he walked away.

Allison watched him walk away and picked up her phone to answer a few emails while she waited. Right in the middle of writing the 2nd « Oh my god! Allison Hargreeves? »

She looked up and saw 3 men her age standing in front of her.

« Yes? »

The 1st man continued « I can't believe you're here »

The 2nd man « You're even more beautiful in real life than on a screen »

The 3rd man approached her « You absolutely have to sign my t-shirt! »

Allison pulled back slightly, uncomfortable « Um… yeah of course »

The 2nd man « Do you know what would be great? Is that you come have a drink with us »

The 3rd man « Oh yes! We were going now »

Allison sensed that something was wrong. These men were too close, too insistent. She stood up to assert herself « It's really nice to suggest but right now I'm a little busy » and she began to pick up the bags around her to walk away.

The 1 st man came even closer « Oh come on! It's just a drink »

The 3rd man also approached « We invite you »

She pulled back, feeling the staircase approaching her dangerously « I was delighted to meet you but I have to go »

The 2nd took another step in her direction « Why are you doing your killjoy like that? We asked nicely »

The 3rd man passed in front of the 2nd which made the young actress retreat even further, who could feel the stairs behind her « You don't even have time for a fucking autograph for one of your fans? »

The 1 st man made himself heard again « Come on Allison, I swear that we’ll give you a great time »

Allison frowned, annoyed, this time it was too much « I said I was not interested so go away otherwise- »

The 1 st man who was in front of her « Otherwise what bitch? » And he raised his arm to grab her. But the arm never reached its destination. Her sight being suddenly cut off from the man in front of her by a black-haired head « Otherwise I swear I'll tear your fucking arm off with my teeth and beat you to death with it if you dare to try to touch her again » Fabian was in front of her, holding the man's arm so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His gaze was murderous and fierce and for a moment, she was sure, it was not Fabian but Five standing in front of her. That look was his. That determined and brutal look, that look that would bend any king. He was there like a wall in front of her. So fragile in its solidity.

The man abruptly withdrew his arm « And who are you kid? »

Five approached the man a little bit « Believe me you don't want to know »

The 2nd man patted the first man's shoulder « Let’s go. It's not worth it » and the 3 men turned to leave giving them one last look.

« Bastards » Five turned to Allison « Are you okay? »

That look

« Yeah… yeah! »

« I didn't want to play the « savior » to you but they didn't seem to want to leave you alone »

« No! Don't be sorry, you were downright awesome! Thank you »

And Five found Fabian's gaze. He was back to who he was today, his reckless little big brother had disappeared between the haze of the boy's clouded memories.

« I think we deserves ice cream before we go. What do thinks my little knight? »

Fabian chuckled « I guess, I don't know, I've never try it »

Allison's eyes widened « Excuse me? »

Fabian put his hands in his pockets « I must have try it before I lost my memory, but since then I haven't eaten any more so it's as if I had never eaten it »

Allison started to pick up the bags from the ground and head for the exit « So that's a real scandal! Come on, I know a great ice cream shop and we are going to bring home all the flavors we can »

Fabian whispered « Home… » to him before picking up the last bags and follow Allison.

* * *

Night was beginning to fall. Klaus, Ben and Vanya arrived at the same time at the house. Tonight they were all eating together, as they did every time Allison returned. All 3 walked towards the living room which was flooded with bags of all colors. On the living room table two cups of ice cream still stained with evidence of the sugary crime that had taken place there. On the sofa, a surreal scene. Allison was sitting casually stroking the hair of their Lost Number, who was sleeping peacefully with his arms crossed, on his side, the top of his head brushing the young woman's thigh.

When she heard them coming Allison looked up and saw Klaus open his mouth. She pointed a threatening finger in his direction and whispered « Say one word… »

Klaus raised his hands in surrender and the 3 brothers and sister came and sat around them, where it was still possible to do so.

Vanya said softly « You spoiled him »

« You're going to rot him if you spoil him like this » Ben whispered as he sat down on the arm of a chair.

Klaus, without suppressing his voice, threw himself on the same chair « You can rot me whenever you want »

Fabian moans softly, disturbed in his sleep by Klaus's loud voice. Vanya and Ben gave a wicked look at their brother who pressed a hand to his mouth while their other sister shushed Fabian back to sleep.

After a few seconds of silence, Fabian seemed to have fallen back into a deep sleep. Then Allison spoke, still in a low voice « Today I wondered if it wouldn't be better if he stayed like this »

« In his teenage body? » Asked Ben

« No, that he doesn't remember anything »

« That's not for us to decide » Vanya replied, her eyes fixed on her brother's sleeping face.

« I know but… He would have the opportunity to grow up for real. Far from all these horrible events of his past. He could build new beautiful memories and we could participate on them »

Klaus stared at the ceiling, thoughtful « But that wouldn't be Fivey anymore. Even though I love this version of him, even though he's technically still him, he's not quite the Five we knew yet. Our teeny tiny psycho »

« Or maybe it's just the part of him that we don't know. We never really knew Five, this boy is maybe all the sides of him that we have never had the opportunity to meet. It is the Five that we would have had if he had not left and without the life in the apocalypse »

Ben got up to place a blanket on his brother's body « I think he has a good chance of recovering his memory now that he's here »

Allison took the edge of the blanket and pulled it up over the younger's shoulders « What if he doesn’t? What if he was Fabian forever? »

Vanya, who was sitting on the edge of the coffee table, replied « We're going to have to think about that »

« We could adopt him » said Allison

Klaus sat up in his seat « What did you say meine schwester? »

« Yes, we could adopt him. I could arrange to give him fake papers, then adopt him and officially become Fabian Hargreeves. Klaus and I couldn't do it but- »

« Hey! Why not me? »

« Because they won't let an ex-junkie adopt a teenager so easily and with me he would be too exposed. His legal guardian would have to live under the same roof as him like Luther or Ben but that would only be a formality because after that we would be 6 to be able to take care of him. He would have a real home, always a full stomach, he would always have someone to talk to or who could take care of him if he is sick! He could grow up surrounded by people who love him and learn to live without pain being his daily life »

« We could take a family holiday » Vanya said with a smile.

« I could teach him to drive » Ben laughs softly.

« I would teach him all of my best flirting skills. He’ll become my apprentice » Klaus said with a smirk.

Ben leaned towards his brother « Not before Diego had the « Big Talk » with him »

They all laughed softly imagining the man totally embarrassed and uncomfortable having to have this kind of discussion with their now younger brother.

Then Allison resumed her thoughts as she looked at the sleeping boy « It's just… He deserves so much better than what life has given to him and it drives me crazy to think that maybe, at some point, his memories will come back and he will inevitably suffer from it » Allison's eyes clouded and Vanya put a comforting hand on his leg « It's his past, which makes him what he was, which makes him our brother. I'm aware of it but… part of me doesn't want this and I feel terrible because even though I miss Five and I want him back to the way he was, another part of me doesn’t want it because I know that all the horrors of his past will be added to those that he lived during these two years of hell and… » She laid her hand on the one of her sister whose eyes were filled with tears like hers «… I just don’t want him to suffer anymore »

Ben moved behind the sofa to put a hand on his sister's shoulder and Klaus came to sit on the floor at his curly-haired sister's feet and rested his temple on her knee. He turned his head to look at Fabian's sleeping face. From Five. He removed a lock of hair that had fallen on his face « We’ll do everything to make sure that doesn’t happen again »

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you'll notice, it's time to spend some family time. But don’t imagine that I forgot Daddy Smith…Can't forget him.  
> Oh! And happy Valentine's Day!
> 
> See you !


	10. Chapter 10

« I'm going to go read a bit in the bedroom before I go to bed. Good night everyone » and Fabian headed for the stairs.

Vanya also stood up « I’ll go too. I have to wake up early tomorrow »

Diego then quickly approached her and put a hand on her shoulder « Wait, not right now. I need to talk to you. All of you. » He walked briskly to the entrance to the dining room and looked in all directions, checking that no one was there. Then he turned to his siblings « I found some information about Smith »

The others stopped what they were doing to focus their attention on their knives-brother.

« I have a friend who became a detective. A good one. I asked him to check the names we had found »

« What did he found ? » Vanya sat down in her chair

« Almost nothing. He found something for only one of the names and apparently » Diego sighed. He had a serious look on his face « It’s associated with a wanted criminal in Germany »

« In Germany ? » Ben exclaimed

« So this name is THE real pretty name? » Klaus was standing near the table

« That’s the problem. This name is not a real one either. The German police didn't find any information about this man »

« That doesn't help us » Luther said, a worried look on his face.

« No shit?! » said Diego, annoyed.

« Do you know what he's wanted for? » Ben asked as he sat up straight in his chair.

Diego paused. He's gaze hardened even more « This son of a bitch is wanted for killing his family »

« What ?! » Klaus and Ben

« Are you kidding ?! » Luther

« Oh my God! » Vanya

« Shut up, all of you! He mustn’t hear! » Diego growled, glancing in the direction of the stairs.

« Are they sure? » Concern spread even more on Luther's face.

« They are pretty sure of it but they haven't found anything to back it up. This is only the most logical hypothesis »

« What's happened? » Vanya looked as worried as Luther now.

« The bodies were discovered by neighbors who complained of bad smells coming from the apartment. There were 3 bodies, all dead for days, but someone was missing in this happy reunion »

« Dear Dad » Klaus was sat down and stared into space

« Yeah. He was nowhere to be found, no one had any news. The guy was gone. The police couldn’t find anything. No clue about the reasons of the crime. The bastard tied them up, knelt them down, shot them in the head and disappeared. He shot a fucking bullet in the head of a woman and two kids » Diego was indignant and it showed.

The 4 brothers and sisters who were listening to the story widened their eyes.

« He executed 2 kids… » Ben ran a hand over his face

« But there is still something »

« Oh sublime! Me, who was starting to find this story so boring! » Klaus threw both arms in the air.

« Forensic scientists discovered that the 3 people were unrelated. It was 3 people with completely different genetic codes. Yet when the cops questioned the neighbors, they all confirmed that they identified themselves as: mum, dad and the kids. A family of 4 »

« Adopted children? » Vanya asked

« If that was the case the neighbors had never heard of it and the police couldn’t find any documents to prove it. In fact, they couldn't find anything at all as their identities seemed to be fake too » ”

« Theirs too? And they haven't found out who they are? » Luther stood up, dismayed by this story. His vigilante soul crying out for a little justice.

« Didn't you listen to what I said dumbass? No. There was no ID, no clue, nothing that could help to understand » Said a angry Diego

« Five… » Vanya whispered

« What worries me at the moment is that this scumbag is still on the loose and apparently he doesn't mind killing kids and for now our little brother is a true normal little baby brother with no power » Diego finished, sitting down on a chair.

Silence fell heavily in the room.

* * *

**4 + 2.5**

Klaus arrived in front of the bedroom door and started banging hard on it with his two fists « Faaaabiiii! Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up! » He heard heavy footsteps inside the room and the door swung open. The boy was there with disheveled hair, a crumpled gray training suit and his eyes half closed but his brow furrowed.

« You know, you should stop frowning, it's going to make you wrinkles » Klaus touched between the boy's eyes with a finger.

Fabian pulled his face back « What do you want ?! It is barely 7 am! »

« _The future belongs to those who get up early!_ A drug dealer friend always told me that. It was fun coming from someone doing their best sales at night. I never understood why he got up so early. Once he even- »

Fabian, annoyed to have been pulled from the bed barked « KLAUS! »

« Okay, okay, calm down! You're grumpy in the morning, Jesus,but you'll like the rest » Klaus had a huge smile on his face

« Speak! »

Klaus opened his arms « Today, Fabulous Fab, is our day SO get dressed and come join me in the kitchen. It's going to be awesome! » And he walked happily down the hall.  
  
Fabian watched him go and sighed as he closed the door to slowly walk into the bathroom.

Klaus walked down the stairs to the kitchen. He was glad, since Five's return home, his other siblings had taken over him. He couldn't blame them, but he missed his days with him in the park. It had become like a ritual. A moment just for both. So today, he was planning to enjoy their day!

It wasn’t a very sunny day, the sky was gray and threatening, but an idea had come to him. When they were young, moments of tranquility were rare. When those few moments fell on gray days him and Diego would help Grace in the kitchen and surprisingly as it seemed, Five were often there. He never touched anything, contenting himself with giving kitchen tools to them, making remarks or sitting at the table scribbling things in his notebooks.

He thought he could try to reproduce those moments. But Klaus didn't know he wasn't going to wake up old memories but find out why Five never touched anything in the kitchen.

Because Five was a complete abomination in the kitchen.

First he wanted to prepare breakfast for two, which ended in a real civil war. The toaster had caught fire, the eggs were sweet and the pancakes were rock hard. Then they tried to bake a chocolate cake. How Fabian end up covered in cake batter and that it turned green after he left for 2 minutes, he had no idea. It was getting late so a pasta dish with tomato sauce would be quick and easy. He had believed in it. The sauce was now on the ceiling, the boy had managed to cut himself with a spoon and burn the water.

His brother had always been good at everything. Each subject, challenge or project that we put under his nose was mastered and assimilated in a few minutes. So watching him struggle to cut a few miserable tomatoes or mix in cake batter was the most comical and human thing he had ever seen from him.

Klaus was there, standing by the door, watching the chaos unfold before his eyes. It was time to end it.

« OK Kitchen Godzilla ! I think we'll stop there! » He took the youngest by the shoulders and pulled him away from the pot which threatened to explode

« No, wait, we haven't eaten anything yet »

« Exactly! The older one directed Fabian towards the exit « We're going to go out and eat something instead. We’re going to get our things and get out of here quickly, I think I saw a piece of dough starting to come to life in the corner »

* * *

The two Hargreeves ate while walking and without realizing it, they had arrived in the park. Like the first time and so many other times.

« We have to believe that we are destined to land here » said Fabian, throwing the paper from his sandwich in the trash.

« I thinks it’s better for us to be here rather than at home which has surely become the playground of a chemical food monster » Klaus laughs at his own joke.

« Oh shut up! You just had to give me better instructions ! »

« Dude! You just had to cook pasta »

Fabian stopped to look at Klaus with a neutral face « Do you really think my father took the time to teach me how to cook? »

Klaus opened his eyes wide, his mouth in an O « Ow… yeah… True. I had forgotten how charming Papa Smith was »

« I would have learned well on my own, but it wasn't with the take-out meals that he brought or cereals that I was going to make gourmet meals »

« You still managed to create a mutant monster with 3 slices of tomatoes » Fabian gave him a small punch on the arm.

They walked for a few moments in silence before Fabian asked « Klaus? »

« Yes my sweet boy? »

« What did Diego find out about my father? »

Klaus froze. He was sure, they had all been extremely discreet about it. They had talked about it a lot among themselves but never in front of their old little brother « Huh… What? What are you talking about? »

« Please, Klaus, I’m not an idiot »

« No ... huh ... we don’t… »

« I know that you haven't stopped looking for him and that you are looking for information about my father »

« Oh na! You know we're just trying to find out where he is that's all… really… » Klaus laughed nervously.

« Klaus » Fabian stopped in front of the bigger one « I know that you are looking for more and that it’s much more complex than what you want to tell me. I know that you are hiding things about him, me and about you too from me »

Number 4 panicked for a moment and his smile faded « No, no, what could we be hiding from you? »

Fabian moved closer to the bigger one, almost threatening « You're going to tell me that it's normal for a family of 6 adults to take care of a kid they don't even know, that since all this time not a single cop or social worker came by your house and for some reason you don't want to leave me alone »

« I ... We… »

« You are hiding things from me, I know that. I'm not sure what or why yet, I guess you have a good reason and it's not in my best interest to ask you more questions but I'll find out at some point or another whether you like it or not »

His young old brother was there in front of him, his eyes determined and confident. Like the Five they knew. They knew that as soon as Fabian, Five, put it in his head to look for answers, things would go very fast. Too fast.

« There is only one thing I would like to ask you »

« And what is it? »

« Why do you sometimes- »

« What the fuck are you doing here? »

Klaus looked up to see a small group of teenagers coming up behind his brother. Fabian turned to them and whispered « Just what we needed »

« Didn't you move to another state Weirdo? »

Klaus moved closer to his brother's ear to whisper « Who's the _Ken_? »

Fabian turned his head slightly towards Klaus « Do you remember the guy I knocked out? » Then turned back to the bunch of boys with his best fake smile « Hey! Look who there, it’s… it’s… who are you again? »

The other boy chuckled « So? What are you doing here? »

« Oh you know, things here and there »

« I see that you found yourself something to have fun » Said _Ken_ looking at Klaus with a big mocking smile « A lot of things are said about you, you know. I see that some were true »

« It's sad to see that your lives are boring enough to have to talk about someone who isn't even there anymore »

« It seems your father is gone? »

« How…? »

« It also appears that you were an unwanted child. Just a bastard without anyone wanting him. No wonder he left, you must have ruined his life and he must have ended up being fed up with you »

Fabian had remained silent, an angry expression plastered on his face, his fists clenched. Klaus, still standing behind him, felt the feelings rise in his brother. Then the other boy spoke again.

« How's it when nobody wants you? Because you don't have a mother, do you? Neither brothers and sisters. At school you always wanted to play the mysterious guy who talks to no one so I guess you don't have any friends either. So, what's it like to be alone after the last person around you doesn't want you anymore? »

Klaus saw Fabian's body shake gently and he reacted, walking past the boy « Well! So this little reunion was very nice but I think we're going to go now » He glanced worriedly at his brother.

« Get off, I'm not talking to you » _Ken_ gave his shoulder a little push.

Klaus stepped forward again « No, but I’M talking to you so now that we all have a partner, we can leave happy »

« What's your fucking problem? We can’t talk to an old friend anymore? »

« I think we don't have the same concept of what a friendly discussion is. So now, if you don't mind, be nice and go way »

A big mocking smile formed on the other boy's lips « Oooh I see! That's funny! » And Ken addressed Fabian who had stayed behind Klaus « Hey Fabian! How much does he pay you? It’s clear that now you are surely no longer alone in your bed at night! Is this disgusting fag you call « Daddy » now? » He laughed.

Fabian was about to react. It was one thing to insult him. To insult someone who was now close to him, it was something else. But he didn't have time because Klaus spoke before him.

« Do you know what's funny about kids like you? »

« Tell me »

« It's that you have everything. Look at you! You're cute, your clothes are all branded, you probably have a house with a pool and a bunch of girls drooling for you and yet you have so little in there » Klaus said, pointing his own head. He continued « You can keep talking, throwing your crap if that can help you hide what's behind this whole facade. Enjoy! it will not last. Right now you are the king, everyone follows you like little dogs because you are the ridiculous image of what people want to be but one day life will catch up with you and there you’ll realize that you are no more important than any other. You’ll realize you’re the kind of person who one day ended up in a crappy house, with a crappy job in a crappy car and all that working under the orders of bigger persons like my little brother back there » Klaus pointed to Fabian who was not moving behind him

The other boy was frowning heavily in anger as Klaus still showed a huge smirk.

« And you know what we'll do when that happens? »

« You gonna have a good laugh, right? »

Klaus threw a dramatic hand on his chest « My god no! That would be mean, no! What we’ll do is we’ll do nothing. We’ll go our way and do nothing because by then, we will have forgotten your existence so you’ll be just another bald little guy who works in an office and who struggles to pay his bills »

« Shut up motherfucker or I- »

Klaus took a firm step forward in front of _Ken_ « You what kid? You gonna to hit me ? Do you think this would be the first time? Besides, I'm telling you, you ran into the wrong family member. Because between my siblings, I'm probably the one who has the least qualms about hitting an arrogant and pretentious brat like you. So one thing »

The other boy stepped back as Klaus walked a little further towards him.

« Don't ever talk to him that way in front of me or anyone else again or that will be the last thing that comes out of your mouth for a very, very long time. Now take your pack of doggies and leave » Klaus glanced at the old lady in the red apron behind the boy « One last thing » He approached his ear very close to whisper « Your grandmother Mirna asks you to stop watching your stepsister get out of the shower, it's disgusting »

The teenager's eyes widened and his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

« Now, get out » Klaus step back and crossed his arms over his chest.

Still shaking and pissed off _Ken_ turned and walked through the group of boys. They looked at each other before following him.

Klaus watched them walk away « I swear, teenagers these days don't have balls or manners anymore » and he turned to Fabian all smiles but he quickly faded away.

The boy was stiff, fists clenched, eyes teary and surprised « Your brother? »

Oh shit.

Shit, shit, shit and double shit. It was out on its own. Klaus hastened to add « Huh, yeah, well you know it was to add more drama to this. It's more credible otherwise he would have insisted. You know people let it go faster when a family member is involved »

Fabian looked down, looking almost… disappointed? But he didn't say anything.

« I know, I've done a little too much. But this kid is really a piece of shit. I understand better why you punched him »

He still doesn't say anything

Klaus, was starting to feel uncomfortable « Come on! Did I embarrass you? Believe me, it could happen again! »

Still nothing

« I'm sorry, ok? Maybe I should have let you fend for yourself and let it be. I know you do very well without me but what can I do! I couldn't let that rich filthy brat insult you and say shit without reacting! Someone had to stand up for… oh »

_Stand up for you_

Klaus saw the difficulty his brother had in not letting the tears fall. He saw him try to breathe deeply as his lower lip quivered.

« You’re okay? »

Fabian nodded

« Can't talk? » Klaus knew that if the boy spoke he was going to cry. It was probably the first time someone had stand up for him. That someone was protecting him instead of abandoning him to its own fate.

Fabian let a few seconds pass and nodded.

Klaus put his hands in his pockets and an idea came to his mind « I know what could do you good! Come on, let's go » He motioned for the boy to follow him and they started their way to the bus. The little lady, Mirna, reappeared in his sight.

« _Pay attention »_

An orange flash

Klaus turned his head, a manhole cover open and surrounded by road signs right in front of them. Klaus hadn't seen it. He turned to the ghost and articulated a _thank you_ before continuing on his way with his little brother.

* * *

Back home Klaus asked Fabian to join him in the garden in 5 minutes.

When the boy went out into the garden, he saw something in its center covered with a blanket. Klaus was there, baseball bat in one hand and flame-shaped sunglasses in the other.

Klaus asked « Are you ready? »

« To what? »

« There » Klaus handed him the objects

« …okay? »

« Kill that » Klaus walked over to the blanket and yanked it off.

THE iron.

Fabian's eyes widened and took a small step back. He quickly turned his head to the other man « But what… »

« Your life has changed now. I know it's not easy for you to realize that you don't have to go through things on your own anymore, but yet you do. We are here now and yes, we are not telling you everything but it is to protect you, I promise you! You have to trust us a little more »

« I don’t know how to do that… »

« Believe me, I know it and the others know it too. We're all emotionally constipated in this house, but we heal ourselves and every now and then we somehow vomit our feelings up. I would like you to do the same »

« How? »

« By blowing up that shitty thing! Frankly, I had no idea why I had brought it back with me. But I think I understood now. It’s because it represents your entry into what has been your life after your memory loss. It represents what you've been through, all the times you've been sad, angry, isolated. When you were afraid or you stop yourself from crying. It's just an ordinary object but the fact that you reacted when you saw it, that says a lot. I think he should also be your way out for something new and also to let off some steam. Not to mention that it would give you the opportunity to wear my super cool glasses! »

The boy's breathing was slightly agitated, he stared at the object without moving. After a pause, Klaus wondered if this was a good idea. He walked over to the boy and gently took back the items he had given him.

« But you don't have to. It’s true that it’s a little ridiculous idea. I just wanted you to have some sort of outlet, so that you could smash something that hurt you to release a little frustration since you're not the type to talk a lot. Forget it, it was a stupid idea »

Klaus barely had time to finish when Fabian snatched the bat from his hands and without waiting he began to hit the helpless object tirelessly. The blows followed one after another. Literally raining on the scrap heap without stopping. They were jerky, erratic, strong and desperate. After a few seconds the object was no longer one. It was just pieces of metal and plastic strewn on the floor. Fabian, panting, step back, throwing the half-broken baseball bat on the ground. The taller one who had remained behind slowly approached, his sunglasses on his nose and a small smile on his lips.

« Mazel Tov! You just emancipated yourself! You okay? »

Fabian who was breathing heavily replied « I think so. In fact, I'm totally fine »

Klaus' smile widened at these words, happy to hear his brother say for once and sincerely, that he felt good « Excellent! And people say I should go see a therapist! They are the ones who should come and see me! »

Breathing calmer, Fabian laughs softly « People would come out crazier but happier, I guess »

« That's not bad ! Come on Harley Quinn, I remind you that we have a battlefield to clean up in the kitchen »

« And that? » Said the boy pointing the debris on the ground

« Let it rot where it deserves it »

« One last thing Klaus »

« Yeah? »

« Your sunglasses are ugly as fuck »

Fabian laughed and went into the house. Klaus gasp, shocked.

* * *

**2.5 + 2.5**

Sunday was generally a quiet and oddly lively day for the Hargreeves. For 2 years now, that day, the house had come alive again. It had become the HQ for the day.

Vanya and Diego slept there the night before to spend the next day with them, Luther and Klaus weren't working, Ben didn't have class and Allison, if she was there, would take the opportunity to rest. It was a slow, calm day.

The day had started slowly between yawns, laughter and little bickering. Then the family was scattered around the house. Diego and Luther were training outdoors. We could hear the thud of banging, growls and curses every now and then. We could hear the music and the sound of lasers from the video game Klaus and Ben were playing. They laughed and screamed as soon as one beat the other. We could hear the soft voices of Vanya and Allison in the living room watching the video of the play in which Claire, Allison's daughter, had played. They were commenting and planning another visit from Vanya to see her niece. It was sweet but overwhelming for Fabian who was sitting on the entry stairs. He was having a hard time getting used to it. Everything was still new to him and sometimes he didn't know how to deal with all these new sensations. He didn't quite know what to feel anymore: Abandonment, sadness, loneliness, comfort, security, love? His father, the only person he had called « family » had disappeared leaving him alone to a family of strangers who strangely gave themselves body and soul to help and protect him. And it was all confusing. So when the questions got too insistent and the anxiety sneaked back, he isolated himself, like today. He would move away for a few moments from everything to be only himself and observe from afar. In these moments of solitude he took refuge in the quiet corners of the manor to read, listen to music or draw a little.

He wandered the halls, notebook in hand and pen in the other, looking for the right place for his moment. A door, another door, then a staircase, a large window and another hallway. Then THIS door. Yet it was just a simple door that looked like all the others but there was something that attracted him. His instinct was telling him that there was something behind it. He had never tried to open it because not being at home, he didn’t allow himself to enter where he had not been authorized but yet, this door… There was something so familiar about it, as if he had already opened it before.

Without realizing it, Fabian put his hand on the handle. He shouldn’t. And he turned the handle. He must do it.

Was it possible to feel moved by a room? Apparently, yes.

It was a decorated room, inhabited or almost. It had everything that made a room what it was, but this one was more personal. There were some old toys, books, decoration. This room was someone's room, but not someone's room in this house. He entered slowly, looking around. The light was soft and the light blue walls were relaxing but most importantly, they were covered with mathematical formulas written in chalk. He turned to the desk and the books there. Novels, language books but above all math books. Fabian began to turn their pages, there were inscriptions in all the pages, dozens and dozens of equations, probabilities, reasoning. This writing looked strangely like his.

_His heart skipped a beat_

Where was he? He looked around, everything seemed so out of place but so right. Every lamp, every wallpaper design, every cover or book. Everything was so normal. He sat down on the chest at the foot of the bed and looked at the chair by the window. He saw a silhouette there. As if someone had been sitting there and left not long ago. Why this feeling of nostalgia?

_His heart sank and his eyes stung_

He looked around again at the formulas. He didn't understand, not at first sight, but it looked so obvious. He had seen them before, these theorems, these numbers, he had it at the tip of his tongue. He had already seen these formulas but where?

« Oh shit… »

Fabian turned his head towards the open door, Klaus and Ben were standing there, white as a sheet, a look of panic on their faces. They looked at each other and Ben said softly before leaving « I'll go get the others »

Fabian asked in a small voice « Klaus, what is this room? »

_Why do I feel like I know it?_

« Just… a room?»

« It's clearly not one of your rooms since you showed me where they were. It's not Claire's room since I helped Allison put up the curtains there, so whose room is this? »

Klaus sighed heavily and entered the room « It's our brother’s »

« The one who isn't here? »

« Yes, that one »

_A tiny ringing in his ears_

Fabian raised both arms pointing to the walls and turned a little on himself « What is all this? Is he the one who wrote on the walls? »

« This little bastard suddenly felt like an interior designer »

« These are mathematical formulas Klaus! You don't write calculations on the wall because it's pretty »

« I told you, my brother came back to find solutions to one or rather several problems and that was his way of finding them »

« What kind of problems ask these kinds of solutions ? You had to defuse a bomb, steal secret codes, was it the end of the world or what? »

_His heart throbbed hard_

It was as if an invisible hand had just given a single, sharp and precise punch to the two men. One surprised by the mention of an unacknowledged truth and the other by a feeling of fear too often experienced in his nightmares. The taller quickly came to his senses and continued

« Do you remember when I told you our father wanted to make a small army out of us? I wasn't kidding. There are more dangers in this world than you think and this old fool wanted us to fight against it. Except that none of us knew about it until our brother came back »

« What are those dangers? »

« It would take a very long time to explain and they no longer exist anyways »

« I'm starting to believe that you are part of a mafia or a terrorist group »

« OH! It would be so good! I'll wear luxury suits and smoke cigars » Klaus take a false mafia-look like and pretended to smoke the cigar before asking « So? Do you understand this gibberish? Because for me it doesn't make sense »

« Well, it would if you were smarter »

_Well, it would if you were smarter_

Klaus had already heard the same words « Touché! »

Fabian scrutinized one of the walls « I'm not sure I understand everything, but these formulas ... They are incredible. They are of an elegance and clarity I had never seen that. I don’t understand everything but I think I know where he is going with this. He ... He is talking about time and space, I think. Klaus, your brother is a fucking genius! »

_Time and space_

« He thinks so too » Ben reappeared in the doorway followed by the rest of the family who seemed equally uncomfortable.

Luther, who was the last to enter the room, spoke up « He's not the type to wait when he's got something on his mind. So, rather than finding paper, he did that »

« It's crazy » said fabian with a sigh

« Maybe he was a little, yes » Vanya sat down gently at the headboard.

Fabian, who was by the window now, noticed the past tense « Was? »

Vanya hastened to correct « Is! Well… he still is, I guess »

A moment of silence followed. Moment that was broken by Fabian « Where is he? »

« He disappeared » Allison nudged Ben.

_Gray flakes fell in front of his face. The heavy heat, the foul smell, the stuffy air._

Fabian gently shook his head « How did it happen? »

It was Diego's turn, who was leaning against the wardrobe to speak « Klaus told you the big lines, didn't he? » Fabian nodded and Diego continued « It happened some time ago now. After we all got together for the second time. We were supposed to start again from there, like a real family this time »

« We drift apart for a long time. Then, the funeral of our father brought us together again but we didn’t expect to see him arrive » Luther remained standing near the door

Allison sits on the armchair « We didn't expect him to come and solve problems we didn't even know we had »

Klaus who was lying at the foot of the bed and playing with the ribbons of his bathrobe « This little gremlin came like a tornado and blew everything up! Infernal spiral! »

« But everything fell strangely in its place » said Diego with folded arms.

Vanya leaned her head against the head of the bed « Some found the place they didn't think they had »

Ben half-seated on the desk playing with a Rubik's cube found there « And others have found the place they had lost »

Klaus sat down and looked at Fabian « All this in a happy mess that almost killed us! But we’ve all come back, ready to become the perfect Christmas movie family »

« But he didn't come back. Like the first time he left. Without explanation, no traces of him. But this time we knew it was not voluntary, that it had never been » Vanya's eyes saddened.

_The first time he left_

The words echoed in his ears for a few seconds before disappearing with Allison's voice « We tried everything. But until now, we had no clue »

_A small spark exploded_

« Did you find him? » asked Fabian feeling his brain slowly go numb.

« Not quite, not yet but I know we're not far away » Ben put the toy back on the desk.

« What makes you say that? »

« We have had proof that he is still alive and closer than we thought. Now we have to find a way to bring him back to us » Allison said with a sad little smile.

Fabian's heart stopped for a seconde « What if… what if he can't come back? What if he didn't want to? »

Klaus laughs « He will find a way to do it and believe me, he wants to. He may not know it yet but he's dying to come back home »

_To come back home_

« You love him? » Fabian saw the surprised look of the family and he must be as surprised as them. This question came out suddenly. From nowhere. He didn't know why he had put it down. Why did he want to know?

« _You always wanted to know, Honey »_

Fabian quickly turned his head towards the chair by the window. This voice, he knew it. Then his attention was caught again by the first answer

« He's an asshole » Diego

« He does as he pleases » Luther

« No tact » Allison

« Angry all the time » Ben

« Sometimes a little egocentric » Vanya

« As suspicious as a street dog » Klaus

His heart twisted. He bowed his head.

But

« He's also tough » Diego

« Compassionate » Luther

« Protective » Allison

« Super smart » Ben

« Sensitive » Vanya

« A fucking badass who's afraid of no one! A badass that we love too much to forget » finish Klaus

A small electric shock in his skull forced Fabian to close his eyes a few seconds before reopening them under the worried gazes of the family. Then he added « I'm sure he's doing everything he can to come back »

Vanya smiled at him and answered softly « We know »

After a few moments of silence Ben asked « Do you remember the last time we were all 7 before all that? »

« The Festival on the Roof » smiles Allison

« Oh! True! It was funny! » Klaus was already laughing at the memory

« A rooftop festival? » ask Fabian

This memory went back a long way now.

« Our neighborhood wanted to organize a small festival to raise funds for whatever. They wanted to bring in musicians, food stalls and games. For weeks the whole neighborhood was animated! » explained Allison

« We asked dad if we could go there on opening night. We wanted to go eat cotton candy and play darts to win prizes » Luther

« I would have picked up all those damn stuffed animals » Diego waved the pen he had in his hand

« But dear daddy didn't want the elite to mix with the bottom of society! We had to give a good image and these ridiculous games would do nothing for our education! As if a little popcorn would destroy our future! How annoying he was! » Klaus rolled his eyes

« So we didn’t go. That evening we went to bed as usual but an hour later, he arrived in my room saying » Vanya doesn’t finish her sentence alone. The Hargreeves siblings simultaneously said « On the roof in 30 minutes! »

_His ears were ringing_

« He left straight after that! No one had time to ask what was going on. But 30 minutes later, on the way to the roof, you were all there » Ben pointed at each of his siblings.

« He had asked everyone to come and when we got to the roof » Luther had a small smile on his lips.

« There was our own little festival. He had managed to bring back candy, popcorn and lots of other junk! He had set up a dart board and made little prizes to win and put lamps all over the place » Klaus shrugged, recreating the scene with his hands.

« From the roof we could hear the music and people talking, so it was like we were there. That night, it was fun like never before » Vanya smiled widely, playing with her hands.

« It was one of the first and last times we were all 7 before everything goes so fucking wrong »It was Diego's turn to speak

« It was kind of him… » Fabian had a funny feeling. Between nostalgia, sadness and softness. An impression of deja vu that would rip his heart out like a beast trying to escape from its cage. His hands were sweating and his head was starting to ache. Downright painful.

« Yeah! He's a nice guy even when he tries to pretend he doesn’t » said Ben crossing his arms.

« His first name » whispered Fabian

« What are you saying kiddo? » asked Diego

Fabian looked at Klaus then at all the others « You ... You never told me his first name »

They look at each other. Not quite sure what to answer. That moment was about to come. They weren't always going to get away with calling him « _their brother »_ or « _him »_

It was Vanya who broke the long wait « It wasn't a real name but it had become his. It was HIS name… » They all held their breath while waiting for the continuation

« His name is Five »

Fabian felt as if he had just been thrown against a wall « oh… » His lungs collapsed, his eyesight darkened and his head exploded. Was he sick? « It's ... I ... it's weird » He was nervous. Anxious. Like this whole room, that first name seemed so right. Too right. So normal in its strangeness. And his brain hammered inside his skull. Without stopping, without reason. He wanted to go out, he didn't understand what was happening anymore. He wasn't sure he was breathing anymore. He wasn't sure where he was anymore.

« Are you okay buddy? » Diego approached him

He was doing fine. He was doing fine. He was fine, wasn't he?

Klaus approached « Fabi? You are still with us? »

Fabian. What a funny name.

Ben walked past his two brothers and snapped his fingers in front of the boy's face « Hey! Fabian? You hear me? »

He reacts, suddenly coming out of his torpor. He closed his eyes tightly and rubbed the bridge of his nose « Yes, sorry. I just have a really bad headache. Maybe I should go lie down » He saw the worried looks the siblings exchanged.

Ben still in front of him moved aside to let him go « Go ahead, I'll bring you something for the pain »

Fabian he crossed the room, ready to go out. He put one foot on the outside before turning back to the people still inside « For what it's worth… I hope you will find me soon » then he left.

Silence fell before Klaus broke it « Me? »

* * *

Away from prying eyes, hidden in the shadows, a carnivorous smile, a cold hand gently stroked an emblem of cloth torn long ago from a dirty and bloody uniform.

« Soon my boy. We’ll meet again my incredible boy »

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you!


End file.
